thanks guys. yeah i've had my fill of this stuff lately, but every time different.

I've attached a pic of George and his crew (George is far left, I am far right with the wind making my hair look stupid) that was taken pretty recently.

Yes please do let us know if you need anything.

I'm sorry about your loss as well. At least it appears he passed away while he was doing something he enjoyed.

Wow! I am so sorry to hear that. You & George's family are in my prayers. He had a great smile. Bet he was fun to dive with.

I hope everyone enjoyed breakfast.

Sorry I missed lunch Daniel


Very sorry about your friend Kristen.
Hang in there.

Welcome! There's some pie left since I was such a slacker this morning. Just don't let it spoil your dinner!

Ooooh, I want some pie!!!
(darn you, now I REALLY want some!!!)

Come on over! Be sure to bring my grandsons!!!!

PIE????


nom nom nom

DEE lish iosness .

Tanks Sue!

Daniel, where are you???



You really have me worried about myself now.....

Do you think I may have a, you know, problem??

Not with that kind of polyp extension!

But really, Daniel is starting to give me a complex.

Amber must have him tied up

Probably fighting over the one laptop they have hooked to the net.


Waitaminute, Amber has him tied up??

Ya gotta watch the quiet ones......

Or he's puppy-sitting.

NRF, get yer mind outta the gutter!

they need to learn to steal some else's wifi

Seriously.

And leave you here all alone??

So I guess its time to tell you guys where I have been lately and tell the story..... this is the story about the most amazing man I've ever known, much less had the honor to work for. I can only hope that when I die, people will have equally kind things to say about me....

About a year ago I began thinking about what I would do after graduation and decided to spend a year or so working as a scuba instructor. I have worked in the dive industry since 2002 and I knew the reputation of Olympus Dive Center even though they were nearly 700 miles from the shop I worked at. When I was asked to come down for an interview after submitting my resume I was spell bound, to work there is a huge honor. To understand why lets backtrack.

George Purifoy founded Olympus Dive Center as a means to let the masses explore what he fell in love with, North Carolina Wreck Diving. George has the discovery of more than 30 wrecks to his credit, most namely the U-352, the Papoose, and the Schurz. In the mid-90s George's shop had grown to include two boats, his Olympus and his son Bobby's Midnight Express. Around that time Scuba Diving Magazine began issuing awards for the best dive shop in N. America, and Olympus won that award every year it was given out until recently when they decided it wasn't fair to everyone else!

When I met George for the first time I knew then that he was the kind of man I wanted to work for. Unlike other managers and owners who put 'on a show' during the interview to impress, George treated me like any other person, any other diver. As I got to know the legend better I was introduced to more than just a genuine explorer, I was introduced to a first class gentleman.

He is perhaps the most humble and genuine person I've ever known. He always told us as crew that we weren't staff, we were family, and he cared for us and treated with the love of a father. George had a perpetual weakness for chocolate. We always kept a stash of candy in the back room and it was common to catch George sneaking out with puffy squirrel cheeks! Sunday morning one of the divers had brought boxes of chocolate donuts for the boat trip and George saw us eating them and proclaimed "WHAT IS THAT!!" before heading off in search of said donuts. He always gave me a hard time about strutting around in my bikini, claiming it made it impossible for him to do his job. Whenever roll call came around, I wasn't number 26, I was "she who must be obeyed".... George was so full of love for his staff he wouldn't ask us to clean his bathrooms, he cleaned them himself.

As a diver he is unlike any other role model I've ever seen. Every part of George's boat and charter business was mapped out to a T.... a perfect system. His boat briefings were perfectly organized to the point where many of the staff memorized them and would repeat them in sync. He was humble about his fame, he refuses on the Olympus site to be addressed as "Capt George" and will not take credit for the discovery of the U-352 without giving due credit to the other divers in the team. I always loved watching George enter the water.... He carried his scooter, goodie bag and crow bar. Right as he would giant stride he'd put his regulator in his mouth and throw his scooter into the water ahead of him. Mid air he'd reach up and grab his mask, pulling it down onto his face just in time to catch his scooter mid air before hitting the water. I always wondered how many botched entries George had in an attempt to master that feat (a pic of him mid-air is on the Olympus home page).

Sunday, Sept 14th
Sunday I was in Morehead City teaching a wreck diver course on the Olympus, where George is the captain. At one point the current picked up enough that several of the crew (myself included) had to work on resetting an anchor while George manned the helm to keep the boat steady. At some point during this exercise George suffered a fatal heart attack. I don't really remember what happened, it became a mad panic as we started breaking down. Some of the staff started CPR on George, I headed for the radio and called for the Coast Guard. At the same time I was calling the Midnight Express (Bobby, his son's boat) to get Bobby back. I only remember yelling to Bobby that I didn't care about no-wake, to gun it. When we got back to shore it was late in the afternoon and I had to be at work monday morning, so I left Morehead uncertain of George's status and drove the whole way home fearing the worst. When I got home I broke down upon learning that George had passed. I've spent the last few days mourning this loss and tomorrow will head back to Morehead City to the viewing and funeral.

Thank you again for everyone's support. I guess in a way the Virginia Tech thing has prepared me for this kind of pain. I seek comfort knowing that George is now hunting out wrecks in Heaven, eating chocolate galore, and that his very last dive I had the true honor of joining him on the U-352, his baby.

Rest in Peace George.

"Walk Humbly Son, Walk Humby Now, And Cherish Every Step. For Your Life's Worth Will Be Judged If Earth Is Saddened When You Have Gone"

Wow, Kristen, truly a great loss..
Let us know if we can do anything.

After looking at the web site, I got the feeling that he was the kind of man you described. I will be praying for you & the family tomorrow as you go through the day.

Cannot tell you how sorry I am that you lost this special person in your life Kristen.

Hold these memories dear and in time the hurt you feel today will be replaced by the fond ones you related here.


You take care Kristen.
--Richie

oh sorry...I was...uh...busy

should I find you a 12 step program??







sorry dude







*ahem* yup...yup you do



there's no wifi around here...darned building blocks it too well.

Kristen, I don't really have words to adequately express what I'm thinking and feeling after reading George's story, as well as your part in it.
Thank you for sharing that with us.
Please feel free to talk about him as often as you like.
When someone you love dies, sometimes it helps to know that they aren't forgotten, and while talking about them can hurt, it also helps to keep their memory alive and to celebrate what they meant to us.
I know that we are often goofy here, but we know how to be serious when it is warranted.
You might also be surprised to find that many of us understand better than you would think; there are others in here who have had their share of loss and difficult circumstances.
We are here to laugh with you or cry with you, whatever is needed.

thank you all for the kind words. Really it means alot to know that people who otherwise would never have known George have him in their thoughts.

In better news....


The start of greatness

iz not black kitteh inz da tank bad ju-ju?

he has a white spot on his chest and a white whisker....

besides its bad ju-ju for you

So kmitch, have you and Weetie finalized my punishm...... initiation yet?

Nah, I think I'm good there. Thanks for caring.




But if I do decide to go, think I can wear these pants with those shoes?













I know sometimes I go WAY to far to set up a joke.

So you guys were playing scrabble then..

no-no, I'm in the 5.5 CATagory.

pretty kitty BTW.

on a more serious note...

I'm not a diver, but I read Scuba Diver all the time (best research you can find for biotopes...), and I cannot remember the number of times I've seen articles/blips about the Olympus and Mr. Purifoy there and online. I've never seen a harsh word for him or his dive crew, and I know he's had a HUGE impact on the diving community through the years. I'm sure he'll be missed greatly by the diving community.

K, your words really affirm and bring alive an image of the man that the diving community respected so much. He sounds like a great man, and I hope you cherish the memories you've had with him. We'll be praying for you and his family




















I have some gay friends I can refer you to...



yup...scrabble....

I told you what I think you should do... anything pirate related is fair.

To recap:

- I love Nano-Reef.com on back windshield
- Photo infront of LFS
- Hold a piece of bread for extra credit and to pick the next person's torture
- Must have something pirate related

M'kay, gotcha! Hopefully I'll have some pics for you guys this weekend.

Kmitch has spoken, time for Moldybread to deliver.
**cackles with glee**

Then you can pull up your chair!

I hear Weeties cooking for everyone this weekend

FOOD?

Wait, WUT???
O boy...

Thats what I heard too, I need foodz to go to work this weekend.

please don't make me do da dishes again, please?

You might not get very far on what I cook!
I'm a BAKER, not a COOK!!

Don't let her fool you! I've eaten her cooking! WHOO HOO! I get a break from the kitchen.

































You are doing dessert too aren't you????????

Now why would I do that



Something like that

really why would I want to do that? Other than to keep him off the computer so I can use it.





More like cleaning up after the puppies both of them have decided that its ok to start going the bathroom in the house again. Darn dogs.



The desktop doesn't have wireless capabilities and well even if it could pick up a wireless network they are all password protected according to my work laptop.


In other news, I thought I would bring breakfast.







And because you can't have breakfast in the south with out them:
Grits

The only bad thing about having e-breakfast here is that it makes me want REAL breakfast and I'm too tired to fix it!!!
HALP!!!
NOT FAIR!!!

Okay, so does everyone want me to fix Chicken 'n Dumplings or Homemade Mac & Cheese (family recipe) this weekend??

I just had a bagelful for breakfast. I hardly ever get a real breakfast, maybe I'll fix some this weekend.

mmmmmmm Homemade Mac & Cheese my favorite.

Man, wish I had a pic of our homemade stuffed french toast with strawberry preserves on top..... mmmmmmmmm.

yes it does...I found wireless adapter, remember?



OMG CHICKEN N DUMPLINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why not just get a dlink router and have wireless yourself?

*ahem* not my fault