I met Terry while running around dressed up at an anime convention in Chicago. My friend Rebecca and I were just messing around, he asked to take a photo, and he never got rid of me from there. We spoke through email, met up again when he did his Route 66 road trip, as I had moved to St. Louis, and he'd be passing through. I took him around the science museum I worked at, and he ended up donating to a non-profit that had partnered with the museum to provide science lessons and books to underfunded schools which was unexpected, but highly appreciated. He then tried to get me a job with his friend after hearing about how I wish I could do what I did at work, but while also travelling. It didn't pan out, but I love that he still wanted to push and encourage me.
The last time I saw him in person was Dragoncon 2017, but we would still randomly send science and math snapchats to each other. We also encouraged each other on Duolingo and had a 178 day friend streak going before he passed. I think his personal streak was well over 1000 days!
Terry was an incredible person who could find any way to connect with other people and cared so much about them no matter how long he had actually known them. He's going to be sorely missed, and I will be dreaming of his cookies for the rest of my life.
My condolences to his wife, family, and friends.