Helen Hayes - RIP

It's another sad day in the pool world.

One of the biggest hearts in pool has passed away.  Helen Hayes.

She was a staple on the Texas pool scene and also at National tournaments.  But besides her amazing talent on the table, she is also known for always laughing (she had a GREAT laugh, too) and enjoying life.  She never spoke ill of anyone and she had a heart bigger than the world.

She found out only a week and a half ago she had Stage 4 lung cancer, that had spread to her brain and abdominal lymph nodes.  She hadn't been feeling well in many months, and now we know why.

She still traveled to ACS Nationals just in May and her women's team won:

Helen and I go way back.  Not far enough for me, now.  She was a great friend to every single person she came across.

This is how I remember her:  always smiling, always laughing:

She was to have her first round of radiation on Fri (two weeks after she was diagnosed), but the day before, she was rushed to the ER... and did not survive in ICU.

The outpouring of love and memories on Facebook is heartbreaking.  Shows how wonderful of a person she is.  And how much her loss has touched everyone.

She was only 43 years old.

RIP in my dear friend.  You will be missed beyond words.