Tonight, Joe lost his courageous battle with cancer.

I don’t have the words to express my sadness. The world is emptier without him.

Godspeed Joe, you will be missed but never forgotten.

Rudy Bachraty put this video together. Messages from a tiny fraction of Joe’s many friends.

I love Joe Ferrara.

And given the outpouring of support over the past 24 hours, I am not alone.

Joe is, without question, one of the smartest, caring, giving and fundamentally good humans I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

He’s a writer, teacher, coach, attorney, visionary — hell, there aren’t enough words in the English lexicon to describe what Joe Ferrara is.

Most importantly, to me, is he is my friend.

And now Joe needs a little help.

Cancer is an insidious disease. It sucks, plain and simple (I have a stronger set of words I use for it, but kids may read this). Cancer is the antithesis of Joe Ferrara. He gives to all, equally and without care or concern of what is in it for him. Joe wants to do nothing but good for people. Cancer steals, cheats and drains the life out of its victims, and their friends and family.

I hate cancer.

But I love Joe Ferrara.

If you can help, please click the “donate” button scattered about this site. And when you hit your knees tonight, send a kind word to the man upstairs to help my friend Joe Ferrara.