| Alexa and I
had the great pleasure to spend a lot of time with Jay and
Monica Benedict over the last two years, especially in
2008 when it seemed that both our teams were at virtually
every competition together. We have long regarded Jay and
Monica as the class of Arizona barbeque teams and we
consider ourselves very fortunate to call them friends.
They have been our toughest competition and yet have also
been among our greatest supporters. That's one of the
great things about barbeque people.
Monica and Jay have been
fighting her cancer together for a long time and I mention
them both because we all know that couples fight it
together even though only one may be afflicted with that
horrible disease. Mon and Jay are a team 100% of the time
and they demonstrate class, dignity and integrity 100% of
the time. In the countless hours we've spent together,
I've never heard either of them complain about the
situation or show even the tiniest amount of anger,
frustration or self pity. They have always been upbeat,
regardless of the sometimes obvious difficulties it was
placing on them and they've always had a smile, a pat on
the back and a well wish to offer their friends and fellow
competitors. That's what I call inspirational behavior.
Monica
passed from our midst in the late afternoon on February 3,
2009 but she did not lose that battle with cancer.
Quite the contrary. Monica and Jay triumphed over it
because while it may have taken her body from this Earth
it never took her spirit and it never darkened her soul.
The world has been a better place for Monica having been
here and she'll never leave us because she has become a
part of us. The best part of us.
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