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I ran up to Vegas when I found out Barry had made the final table. I felt I was obligated. On Sunday Barry had been in the PLO event. I asked Sharla from Poker Pages if Barry had bought into the Stud 8, or the PLO, she said PLO. There were about 100 players or so left. I told Sharla to go over and tell Barry to hurry up and win this one for Charlie. I was just joking around, as if Barry could magically eliminate 99 players in a rush and instantly win the thing.

That is exactly what he did, and by the time I made it back up to Rio on Monday Barry was heads-up. It didn't take him too long to win it, and I was there for the last hand. Barry immediately asked for the microphone and dedicated his win to Charlie. Barry's family and I were looking at him, so overwhelmed.

I surely don't have much I can type today. I am exhausted and don't feel like I can adequately describe everything that has happened in the past week. Some things I absolutely cannot and will not leave out include:

~John Juanda begging me for something to do, looking up airlines and flights to Clarksville.
~Jennifer Harman immediately agreeing to call, calling the next morning, and then realizing she wouldn't be able to talk to Charlie personally, praying for him.
~Marcel Luske constantly asking about Charlie, and what he could do.
~Max Pescatori busting out of an event, going home, getting a hardcover SSII and returning to the Rio to force everyone to autograph it on a Saturday so that he could send it overnight from the post office before they closed.
~Chip Jett picking up the ball and immediately agreeing to do whatever he could to make Charlie's last days memorable.
~Erik Seidel not being offended at being on the second string of heroes and immediately offering to call Charlie when Howard wouldn't come through.
~Barry Greenstein I cannot even go into.
~Ted Forrest immediately agreeing to call Charlie knowing he wasn't on the "first string" list either, and saying that if he won the O8 bracelet he would immediately send it overnight to Charlie.
~Greg Raymer not even asking about the circumstances and agreeing to call Charlie immediately.
~Amir Vahedi offering to call Charlie when asked.
~Miami John Cernuto being the most candid human being, still willing to do it under such horrific circumstances.


There will be more later.

Thank you to the many dozens of players who listened to me whine over the past week.

Felicia :)