I had the honor of spending some time with Dean at the Outdoor Retailer show in SLC. We spent an hour or so hooping and talking about passion, purpose, breath and feeling grounded. I think it was 2010 when I had a booth at the show. I was selling my collapsible hoop and program to outdoor enthusiasts. I had sold to hundreds of climbers and rafters throughout the years, although I guess I didn’t have the right sales pitch and the buyers couldn’t think outside the box of what they typically buy, so I didn’t make very many business partnerships. Either way, I had groups of 3 to 10 people hooping at my booth throughout the day. I would teach them how to hoop the right way with my Belly Pump method and how to feel more grounded in their body with my Hoop Core program. There was always a chaotic buzz around my table. A woman came up to me in a frantic way. She told me that Dean Potter wants to meet me and that I must come right away. I told her that he can come over to my booth and join us. I continued to shout instructions to my group. She repeated that he wants to talk to me in private, right then. I said I’d come over when I was done teaching. She asked forcefully, “You don’t know who Dean Potter is do you?” I said, “Nope.” I had been climbing pretty hard for years. I had lived out of my truck in Joshua Tree for 2 winters and climbed up and down the west coast and Colorado for years but stayed disconnected from the ‘scene’. 15 minutes later I found myself in one of the deepest conversations I’ve ever had, sitting in a corner, away from the chaos, with Dean. He commented that I was the only one besides him, without shoes. I pointed out that when he hoops, the only reason why he was off balance was because his feet grip the floor, minimizing his ability to spread his roots and find better balance. He explained that he must do this in order to slackline. He was very interested in my Hoop Core program and how I move people into their center by using the hoop and breathing techniques. He closed his eyes as he stretched his arms out wide, feeling the space around him. when we took breaks, he shared his excitement for a new wingsuit design which would be delivered to his home when he returned. He asked me about how I designed the perfect collapsible hoop. I shared my love for tapping into physics and the natural order of things, while hooping. He had a sadness, vulnerability and curious nature which was sort of comforting to me. When we were finished, he invited me out to his place in Yosemite to film part of the documentary that I was working on. I should have gone. And I rarely have regrets for anything in my life. Writing this now, after having watched many docuseries about him, I very much resonate with his struggle/legacy. Though he might have had more bipolar, manic/depression than I do, his constant effort to fill the loneliness, created more isolation. His need to be the best created separation. His inner fight fueled his fire to succeed and surpass most human behaviors and activities. And all these traits made up a beautiful human that inspired thousands. I only hope that at some point, he knew that his darkness was part of his light. *