An interesting, smart, and controversial part of this site’s history has passed away. Bill Bowen (or “Will” or “Old Will” as our message board posters may have known him) amassed almost 9,000 posts on CHUD between the years of 2000-2004 before moving onto other pastures. He lived a good life, attaining millionaire status and living in hills of Burbank (where the one and only CHUDWEST event was held), and after some issues in his personal, religious (Bill was heavily involved in Scientology), and professional life seemed to really find his true calling as an activist and documentary filmmaker for several post-9/11 causes and child protection services reform. I’ve spent the night at the man’s house and found him to be a charming host and a truly learned person, and a dinner at a now now-defunct steakhouse (Vida) was one I think of to this day. He had some interesting elements to his life that certainly polarized him on the CHUD community, but upon hearing that he died of a heart attack earlier this year (thanks for the head’s up Mike Arsenault, another fellow who spent a good bit of time with the man alongside Jason Pollock), all I can muster is disappointment and sadness that he didn’t get to finish his work. Here’s some more info: Article.

Best, Will. Wherever you are.