About Lugnut -- Patrick Malone


Many of us have come to know Patrick Malone (Lugnut) as a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and kind individual. He is a frequent and enthusiastic contributor to our analog discussion forum. He has initiated only 17 threads, but responded to 559 threads. I would guess that many, if not most, of us can recall a time when Pat replied with helpful advice to a question we posted or helped us track down a rare recording. I have come to love Pat as a friend, and to respect him as a man, and I suspect many of you share those feelings.

Today I write to share difficult news with you. Pat has been diagnosed with an aggressive stomach cancer. It has yet to be determined whether surgery will even be worth it. If surgery is performed, most or all of the stomach will be removed, and Pat would face a difficult and long post-op period in the hospital. The medical course is still uncertain, but will be determined soon. Whatever is decided, it will not be easy or pleasant.

Something may be planned in the future to assist the family. For now, Pat could use some of the friendship he so often and willingly showed us. You can email Pat at: [email protected]. You can also mail cards, letters ... or whatever. You may email me for Pat's mailing address. My email is: [email protected].

I hope to spend a few days with Pat in Idaho or Nebraska (from which he hails) soon. Between this news, my legal work, getting ready for family arriving for the holidays, Audio Intelligent, and trying to make plans to visit Pat, my head is spinning. If you email me and I don't respond, please understand that I am not ignoring you, but rather simply do not have time to reply.

Pat may or may not have time to respond to posts here, to emails, or to cards mailed to him. But he has asked me to convey to each and every one of you that he has cherished your friendship, your comradery, and sharing our common hobby on this great website.

As we prepare for our holiday season celebrations, and look forward to -- as we should -- enjoying this time of year, I ask that you keep Pat and his family in mind ... and softly offer up, in quiet moments in the still of night and early morning, prayers for Pat and his family. God bless.

Warmest regards to all,
Paul Frumkin
paul_frumkin
This is unfortunate news indeed, Pat. Let me get this right: the doc sent in the shrink because he didn't want you getting into his stash? But seriously, whatever comes, I know you will face it with the same courage and abiding faith in a loving God with which you have faced everything to date. Your faith will not fail you; your God will not fail you; your loving wife and daughter will not fail you; and your friends will not fail you.

If a chapter is closing, Barb and you provided the perfect punctuation: taking life for a wild ride in a warbird. God bless.
Jeff,
Kidding or not, I'm working on it. I have a nice spot all picked out for a Teres 255.
Patrick- Good luck, my man. All of your friends and acquaintances here are thinking of you. Loony has said it all, but just one thought. If its time to put your ownf and your family's needs first, then that's what you should do. Even though most of us have not had the pleasure of meeting you personally, I am sure that I speak for all of your Audiogon buddies: please don't concern yourself with making us feel bad; if venting here helps you even the slightest amount, then that's just fine. I hope you take the opportunity to put your words and thoughts out there just as they occur, w/o any concern about their effects on others. No way do you seem like the selfish sort at all and your concern for the impact of this on those you've never met is quite touching and even a little embarassing. So let it fly; I think the bargain we (the Audiogon community and yourself) made was for you to be honest and for us to listen and help in any way we could. I'll be thinking of you and hoping for some good news soon.
Pat, as you are well aware yourself, Barb, Amanda, & Scott are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep the faith, for He will keep you. God Bless you and yours.
Pat,
Sometimes words are inadequate. I think you get the sense of what the Audiogon community feels for you and wishes for you. It's strange, but the impact your thread has had is quite enormous. I think my wife summarized it this weekend, when a non-audio couple whom we haven't seen for a year, asked me how I spend my "non-working" time, since I told them I'm too busy to socialize. She said "He used to spend all his time reading about Audio equipment on A'gon, now he just wants to know how Lugnut is doing". Like many of the other contributors on this thread, I have never personally met you, but your honesty and fortitude has touched all our lives. And our perspectives on what's important.