When Kelly was pregnant with the girls I decided to take a hiatus from playing music to focus on the chaos of twins to come. Life eventually settled down and a chance run-in with Rob Belanger while I was working at Camden Yards turned into an opportunity. I'd known Rob from years before when we shared some bills around town with Jinn Men and Burst Of Silence, and shortly after we crossed paths he needed a bass player to fill in for a couple of shows. I rolled into Clyde's Of Chevy Chase later that week with 40 songs worth of cheat sheets and a hodgepodge bass rig that I'd hurriedly thrown together and, along with Max Mueller and Nick Bertling, we never looked back...

I owe Rob a debt of gratitude for bringing me back and reminding me just how much I enjoy what can sometimes seem like a thankless endeavor. We play music because it's part of who we are. He was a gifted singer/guitarist and one hell of a songwriter as well, but more than that - with no disrespect to everyone else I know - I can't think of a more down to Earth and genuine person.

I remember a rehearsal we had at Dee's (Rob's mother) house. I was in the middle of confessing to him how I used to throw a tennis ball against a wall to practice my fielding skills while referring to myself as either Brooks Robinson or Mark Belanger as we loaded our gear into the house, and as we went down the stairs there were several of Mark's Rawlings Gold Gloves sitting on a shelf. I was a bit awestruck and Rob was watching me and smiling. I could tell how proud Rob was of his dad, but it was never boastful.

I worked with him to design some logos and brochures for The Mark Belanger Golf Classic, which would later morph into the Cool Kids Campaign, a non-profit that is devoted to improving the quality of life for pediatric oncology patients and their families, of which he was the Chairman and co-founder. Rob was not very computer-savvy, which was a running joke between us because he used to call me often to see if I could help with his Windows-based angst, but one day the call was for something different... He asked me if I might be available to play in the church band he was putting together and I respectfully declined saying something to the effect of, "I want you to have a church to go to, not a smoldering pile of ashes." We laughed that day but soon got busy with our own schedules and didn't cross paths for a while.

When I found out he was sick I reached out to Natasha and his response was classic Rob, he just wanted to know how I'd been and what I was up to. He displayed nothing but dignity in the face of a horrific circumstance. He told me to keep posting absurd things on Facebook, as Natasha would relay them to him when he needed a laugh. I last saw him when TWSS played the Towsontown Festival earlier this year and he seemed like his old self. I was truly hopeful that he'd beaten cancer because I couldn't think of a person who would've done more with a new lease on life. Rob fought for years and continued to be an agent for good along the way, but today he passed away. This is the point where I resist the urge to lash out at the unfair nature of nature. I am saddened. I am angry. My heart goes out to Natasha and their daughters, his family and friends, and anyone who had the chance to know him. Rest easy, my friend.

- Bronson Wagner

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