I realized tonight the enormity of the gift Mark Lewis has given to our community. A man of his immense talents could easily have lived in L.A./New York and achieved fame on stage, never connecting with his fans on a personal level. But he didn't do that. He chose to live here in Eugene, Oregon. He chose a life of sharing his gifts with others. We were not simply entertained by this man; we were taught by him, loved by him, listened to and embraced by him. And through that exchange, we became better human beings. The loss of him in our lives and our city will be huge. But the memories, oh, the memories. No one can take those away from us.