R.I.P. RONNIE JAMES DIO

I would just like to take this time to address my feelings on the passing of Ronnie James Dio. I am heart broken over his passing. For a long time Ronnie has been my hero. I always have had a great deal of respect and admiration towards him. Not only was Ronnie an incredible singer but an incredible human being. I had the pleasure of meeting Ronnie back in August of 2009. Right towards the end of the 2009 Heaven And Hell Tour. I was thrilled when I got to the venue and found out I had the backstage passes. I went to the show with my grandmother also a big fan of Ronnie's music. That night heaven and hell gave an amazing performance as they always did. This was to be my third time seeing them. As the show ended I was eagerly awaiting going backstage to meet Ronnie and the band. As we approached the backstage area I was nervous and excited at the same time. My grandmother and I ended up being the first people to enter the area. My Grandmother went first. After she spoke to Ronnie she turned to him and said can i have a hug. Then what happened next blew me away. Ronnie stood up and gave her a big hug. I was so impressed by this. That he was so kind to her. Then it was my turn to meet Ronnie. I walked over to the table very nervously. I went up to him shook his hand and said Hello very nice to meet you Ronnie. I then handed him a copy of my Dream Evil cd. What happened next is hysterically funny in my eyes. What happened was I had grabbed the cd out of the car because I needed to give him something to sign in case we went backstage. I failed to notice in all the excitement that the cd case was cracked up. When Ronnie went to open the cd to take the booklet out to sign. The cd went flying across the table LOL ! It's making me smile now just thinking about it. As soon as that happened I was ready to faint at the embarrassment of the moment. He just smiled picked up the cd put it back in the case and signed the booklet. In the heat of the moment I failed to tell him my name so Ronnie then asked me what's your name ? I said oh sorry it's Alex. I then started rambling about how I had joined the fan club and was so excited I was standing in front of him. I had waited for this moment for a long time. Then my Grandmother told him what a dedicated and devoted fan I was. How a day didn't go by without Ronnie's music being played. He turned to me and said Alex your'e a true fan. I will never forget that for as long as I live. It meant so much to me coming from Ronnie. I did however kick myself later on for forgetting to ask for a photo. I regret it still but regardless I feel fortunate enough to have had the wonderful experience of being in his company. It is something I will always cherish. Ronnie has been a huge impact on me and my life. By being a fan of his I met many other great Dio fans on you tube. Who I share a connection with and people I have something in common with. One of the greatest things Ronnie did for me was leading me to creating an online radio show. I decided one day that I wanted to dedicate a show to him. So I recruited my friend from You tube Claire to co host it with me and now the show still continues. I will always be grateful to Ronnie for helping me through difficult times in my life. As I sit here today typing this blog mourning the loss of my hero. I am thankful that he is no longer in pain or suffering. As much as it hurts that Ronnie is no longer here among us. It would have hurt even worse to watch him suffer. Ronnie rest in peace I will never forget you for as long as I live. I hope we will meet again one day Love always , Alex. /,,/ /,,/