Trey Pennington

Death is trending.

I guess it's inevitable. I just wish there was something to punctuate the death at the moment. It's all I seem to be blogging about recently.

Today Trey Pennington took his own life. He leaves a large family and countless 'friends' behind. Some will call that selfish, some will understand the complexities of depression and know there is no rationale for a mind in the space that Trey's was today.

You can judge the guy all you want in his darkest hour. I will only remember him as how I briefly knew him. Warm, giving, compassionate, sensitive, driven, and incredible genuine for someone ultimately selling ideas.

When i first met him at the Like Minds conference in Exeter I immediately measured him with the marketeers measuring stick I sometimes mentally carry around when I am feeling cynical.

It was after only a couple of brief conversations I had to take him aside and thank him for showing me how naive I was at judging people who worked in his field. I told him he had altered my perceptions and that I felt honoured to have met him. I know he was moved at what I said, as he told me and I believed him.

I wish I was able to reference some of the unrecorded conversations we had. But the context and content has been forgotten. All I seem to be able to do is recall how they made me feel. As a result Treys death has affected me quite deeply.

What kind of connections are we making in these channels if we fail to see a friend in need? Just because someone doesn't reach out does not mean we can't reach in.

RIP Trey. I'm raising a glass to you but my thoughts are with your family. I hope that knowing how appreciated you were by those you came into contact with will help them heal their hurt.