I met so many incredible people when I trained with Brian Timoney on his one year’s Ultimate Acting Course. All the terrific teachers we had who really knew how to get the most from us, to get us to open up and be more forthcoming and natural in our acting ability and the wonderful people I shared my course with. We laughed together, we cried together and we had fun together.
Brian always ran two groups simultaneously and in the other group I found a few more friends too. One of those was a great man by the name of John Clarke. John had a big heart and a warm personality and we found out that at the time we both worked in the same industry in our normal day jobs, albeit from different angles. I spent a while chatting to John and I really grew to like him as a person. Genuine, positive and always had time for people. He didn’t indulge in catty behaviour and always had a good word to say for someone; really a man that I could look up to and get along with. He embodied everything I try to strive for.
Yesterday, Thursday 6 March 2014, I heard he died in an accident just off The Embankment in London.
The world lost such an incredible person. I didn’t know him as well as some people, sure, but the time we spent together training both in London and in Los Angeles made my life just that little bit better knowing that there were truly great people like him about.
What this highlights is that life is fleeting. There isn’t time for regrets or for you to be unhappy.
Go out and follow your dreams, like John was doing, and make the world bend an ear to what you have to say. You have a voice and you can make yourself heard if you stand up and shout loud enough. There is no time to waste, every second is precious so seize the opportunities that come your way and go wherever they take you.
I’ll end with a soliloquy from my favourite movie of all time.
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I’ve watched C-Beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.”
Rest in Peace John
Damien Gerard 