Victory in Death

I lost a friend a couple of weeks ago and just learned about it last Thursday. Victory Darwin was one of the best of the best in my field, entrepreneurship. We "met" virtually, through Linked In a couple of years ago and collaborated on a number of ventures ever since. He was uber bright, witty and above all, passionate. I will miss Victory very much...as will his family, friends and legion of others, whose lives he touched.

In the midst of one of my frantic days at work, juggling a dozen deals at once...the email about Victory's death came over my Blackberry and I was stunned. I left the Boardroom, where I was engrossed with a conference table in our Tempe, Arizona-based eFactory and retreated to my office. I took the time to access the link of what turned out to be Victory's last video blog...he died that day. It is powerful and even more so, if you knew the man. Victory looked very sick and he was obviously recording this last testament from his hospital bed but the spark of his intellect and that twinkle in his eye was still there. Here is the link to Victory's last message...

http://www.biglife.ws/profiles/blogs/victory-darwin-has-passed-away

While listening, and I have played this over and over these past two days, Victory actually mentioned me and two of my former students from the College of Entrepreneurship and Club Entrepreneur. I was shocked and proud at the same time to hear this wonderful man refer to us in such nice terms...and from what turned out to be his deathbed. How humbling for us...

Victory Darwin will be missed. He was the "Entrepreneur's Entrepreneur," and may his legacy live on with every one of us that will pass down his story and his passion for life.

Even in death, Victory will live on in our hearts!

Best to all,

Peter J. Burns, III