I'm already feeling a huge loss of this unbelievably energetic true individual, who definitely is one of my best friends, if not the best.
Brothers we are, anyhow.
Vello Salo phoned me today. He said that on Wednesday in the Pirita cloister church he would be holding a 'commemoration of souls' ceremony for his good old friend Raimo. He said he could never have imagined it would be he who would be remembering Raimo, not the other way around. I promised to attend.
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I was in almost daily, definitely weekly, contact with Raimo over almost exactly ten years.
Usually, when I read something on the internet which was weird, interestingly absurd, frightening, shocking, or especially stupid or funny, I could always write to him. And expect a response.
This has been part of my life.
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Life is such, that you have your old friends from childhood. Usually one doesn't make very good new friends very easily. More likely you're periodically losing old ones. Some pass away. Some you don't see much anymore. Maybe your spouses don't get along. And time is limited.
I've known Raimo from those early days at Forest University, some 30 plus years ago, and from singing at the Estonia choir together.
But, we became close friends much later in life. This is unusual.
We were definitely on one page. We were 'aate-kaaslased'. This means companions in ideals. And in activism.
I was especially happy to see him last july in Tallinn, when we spent two days together with our third super friend, Henn.
Now this chapter in my life is over. And I'm very sad.
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No one can replace Raimo. But life goes on.
Though he was less than a year older than me, for a while he was my mentor. Thanks to him, I became avidly interested in things which have held my interest til today.
This happened almost exactly 10 years ago!
We met, almost out of the blue, on March 11, 2006, when he came to Tallinn with the certain purpose of sharing news about Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth to a group of mostly older Estonian academics. Father Vello Salo was there as well. I came late. The evening turned out to be more of a sauna night. Raimo said he never quite found the right moment, or the right way, to do his presentation.
Except with me.
I heard his whole 100-point tale in his hotel room for about 4-6 hours straight. Until the early morning. Needless to say, he'd finally found the right audience. Suspending disbelief, I was very interested. For me, this was second nature.
I went to sleep on the sofa, and upon waking I had an empty feeling in my stomach. Something had changed. But I had been on this kind of a journey twice before in my life. So for me, 'survival' was guaranteed. We also laughed an awful lot.
Raimo was, and remains, a really great soul. I would say an old soul with a twinkle in his eye. We all experienced him in different ways, I'm sure.
Of all things - for all of his idiosyncracies, possible foibles and brilliances - no one can doubt Raimo had a huge heart, and was always willing to make a new friend.
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My condolences to Marina and his sons, and all his other friends.
Rest in peace Raimo!
This is is still unbelievable to me.
Lembit Tork
