One Year of Moving Forward

It wasn’t the day we were told, but the first of February, 2015, was the day when Monty Oum passed away. Suffering an allergic reaction to a medical procedure on the 22nd of January, he was comatose until the first of February. We mourned and grieved. This community showed incredible support for the man, raising over 200,000 USD for his family. But support should not be measured by wealth alone. Monty’s legacy was not in money but in the creation of art, which will last well beyond his death, perhaps even our own.

What did he leave behind? A family of siblings, great friends, a strong father, and a courageous wife. An army of fans, inspired by his creativity. Two web series, each destined to last for more than a generation; to watch one is impossible without seeing the other. A treasure trove of interviews, podcasts, vines, and other videos showcasing his talent, his humor, and his successes.  

He began his extraordinary rise to prominence in 2007 when he finished and released his legendary Haloid video. He would eventually go on to work for Rooster Teeth in animating RvB and finally in writing, producing, and animating RWBY.

For a short eight years he accomplished incredible feats. After one year without him, let’s take a moment to reflect on his influence for all of us. We’ve been moving forward, per his request; and a great amount of art has been produced because of his legacy. We’d all love to know how such a great man influenced you.

If you want to know how he influenced his friends and family, here’s a journal compiling all of their reflections: rwby.deviantart.com/journal/Re…

Burnie made a second post a few weeks after people had begun to pick up the pieces: roosterteeth.com/post/3315179

And Barbara has written her own letter to Monty now: roosterteeth.com/post/51197815

Keep moving forward, but remember who gave you that push.