As news of Roger Emrich's passing trickled out on Sunday morning, a wave of tributes poured onto social media. From collegues and competitors, neighbors and listeners, the essense of the message was always the same: "Roger Emrich was the King of Kindness."
The Voice of the Texas Longhorns, Craig Way, saw that gregarious warmth first-hand in his more than 30 year friendship with Emrich. "His emotion, his intellect, his wit, his gentle nature, his real empathy for his fellow man is what made him larger than life," Way said.
And in a world sorely lacking in genuine consideration of others, Roger Emrich was a true diamond in the rough.
"He lived life like every day was a new, fun, interconnected experience with whomever he crossed paths with," Way said. "He was genuinely interested in hearing about other people's experiences, because in some way it connected to him."
Those who were closest to him saw the lengths to which he would go to help his friends. Roger was always willing to give a sincere word, or even impersonate a mysterious figure. In the early 90's, Way requested that Emrich call up his house posing as Santa to persuade Way's sons to stay in line at Christmas time.
"My kids knew they had visited with Santa Claus. That voice was unmistakeable," said Way. "To have him gone, there's a big absense, a big hole in my life. There's no doubt about it."