I would have loved to have known John as a friend before his illness, instead of as one of the care team from The Martlets Hospice. John made it easy to care for him, through his sharp intelligence, his lovely humour, his great social skills, and, of course, his beloved music. Everyone involved in John’s care was deeply touched by him and was sad that his illness went so fast. John faced his illness with all the wonderful strengths and gifts that have been remembered in these tributes to him. The progress of his M.N.D. seemed fast and relentless, leaving him and Theresa little space or time to adjust and adapt, yet this is exactly what they both did, constantly, until the very end. Jamie provided vital support to maintain the quality of John’s life in the face of the rapidly increasing disability of his illness, with great sensitivity and resourcefulness. And John’s network of friends was (is) amazing. How do you deal with an inexorable loss of your abilities? John was never less than honest about his prognosis and with each downward step, he grieved, he reassessed, and he adapted. When he could no longer sing or play, he and Jamie edited the backing to his final recorded song. He set himself short-term goals (not just those in his Fantasy Football) to provide some hope for the uncertain future. And in all of this, Theresa was by his side, sharing the pain of loss and the anguish of anticipated separation. You gave him strength to carry on when it seemed too much to bear and you gave him love when when all seemed dark. Many people have examples of John’s use of his humour to defuse the tension and bring a smile into the tears. He could deal with the most profound questions one minute and distract us with his sense of the absurd the next. I did not know the J.C. beloved of all the people closest in his life. But I did get to know a John Clay whose human qualities in the face of death were an inspiration to those who survive him about how to live. He is much missed and will always be remembered.