I can remember being a freshman in high school in Florida and sitting in my first period English class when my teacher told us the news.. many of my classmates had never heard of him, but being from Louisiana originally and having been to my first concert at the Maravich Assmebly Center - and having been a huge Jazz fan when he played for them- i was stunned.. but then i i heard how old he was and, as a 13 yr old, i thought “Well, at least he had a nice long run”…. He was 40… Man, perspective sure is funny .