Welcome to Gaia! ::

I have known Mav for quite a few years, and over that time I went through more usernames than I can remember sweatdrop I am still amazed that he managed to keep up with all of them. Every time I changed my name, he greeted me like nothing had changed. He would ask how I was doing, how my husband was, and how my two cats were, and he always knew exactly who I was straight away. It made me feel seen, especially since I was quite shy back then and rarely spoke up in Dev Meats. I tended to keep to myself, but somehow Mav always noticed me and would draw people out with his warmth and humour xd

Over time, I slowly became more confident and expressed myself a bit more. When I became a Forum Assistant in 2021 on my Sailor Moon account (assigned to the zOMG topics), I became more involved, gained a better understanding of zOMG, and also started staying around longer during Dev Meats.
Eventually, Mav and I exchanged Discords and began talking outside of events. What started as casual messages turned into regular check-ins, with him asking how I was doing and just chatting about everyday things. Before long, that easy conversation became playful banter, and it was something I genuinely looked forward to.

There was one moment when I asked him to show me how the Dev Panel worked and what the limits were, especially how big or small an avatar could get. He happily experimented with settings while I watched and laughed at the results, and it was one of those moments that felt light, fun, and very him. That video still makes me smile (video below)



Mav often joined us for Yellow Maze runs, which always led to memorable moments. One that stands out was when we had a pickle theme - I had to miss Dev Meats that day because of a family event, but I managed to get home in time for the run. Seeing him in a pickle costume fighting wolves, vampires, mimics, and everything else was impossible to take seriously. After that, we spent ages trading silly pickle puns, and it became one of those small shared jokes that just stuck xd

(Our YM crew in order: Ltrllynlywnttplyzmg, DinoNuggiez, Moonchu, Taihe, whoreganic and Mavdoc)


Another memory that means a great deal, and was the last one I shared with him while he was alive, was when he reached out to both myself and Newz to help with Dev Meats. Newz covered the week prior, and I helped the week after. The theme was "Trick or Meat", which ended up being the last Dev Meats he posted about in his status. He took the time to show me how to word the post, where to post it, how to do the birthday shout outs, and how to lead Dev Meats for that week. I was absolutely honoured that he asked me. You cannot really rely on someone unless you trust them, and knowing that he trusted me with that week made me incredibly happy. With the support of everyone there, it truly felt like he was still present with us.

I'll share one of my favourite memories with Mavdoc is how we unexpectedly connected over Sailor Jupiter. He shared an AI image of her simply because she was his favourite scout, and that small moment turned into something really special. I remember being genuinely surprised and excited to tell him that Sailor Jupiter was my favourite too, even though most people associate me with Sailor Moon. I shared how I was always Sailor Jupiter in my school friend group, and talked about my plans to finally cosplay her properly. I had bought a Sailor Jupiter themed t shirt and even did a wee pose in it, mainly just testing my hair, and realising I would not need a wig at all.
Mav listened with so much kindness and enthusiasm, encouraging me and telling me how perfectly Sailor Jupiter suited me. It felt like such a natural and heartfelt exchange, two people connecting over a shared love for a character that represented strength, warmth, and loyalty. I have many cosplay plans, but Sailor Jupiter has now given me a special reason to cosplay her, and that reason will always be Mav.

There were also times this year when he knew I was going through really rough periods with my job, along with some personal health issues. It was a scary time, and not something I found easy to talk about. Through it all, he was consistently there, offering his time, patience, and care. I naturally turned to him for advice and support, and knowing I could talk to him meant more than I can put into words.

Since his passing, quite a few people have reached out to check in on me, and that alone shows how many amazing people he knew and had a positive impact on.

Mav, I have so many memories I would like to share here, and maybe I will share more later because it is still very fresh to me that you are gone. I don't think I can ever truly accept that it happened so suddenly. I have been sitting here for quite a while trying to find the right words, but the truth, is there are none. My heart breaks, and I still find myself looking to see when you are next online. Even just having your profile open brings me a small sense of comfort.

You were my best friend. You were someone I could talk to without fear of being judged. You embraced me exactly as I was and encouraged me to grow into the person I am now. When we first met, I was shy and quiet, and you always made space for me anyway. That is something I will carry with me, always emotion_hug

Thank you for everything, Mav. I know how much you would want Dev Meats to continue. It was yours and JK’s pride and joy, something you looked forward to every week, and I promise we will keep that tradition going with the support of everyone, including your sister, who has joined us a few times already. That truly is a blessing, and I am going to miss you so so so much.

This is not goodbye. We will meet again someday, and I know we will continue our chats and laughs together again gaia_angelleft emotion_bigheart emotion_hug gaia_angelright