If I May...

...I'd like to get very serious with you for a moment, which is something I don't tend to do often on this blog.

For the past 8 months or so, I've had the pleasure of working with a wonderful woman by the name of Melissa Batten. This past Tuesday, Melissa was killed by her estranged husband, who then took his own life.

Melissa was an amazing person who touched many people at Microsoft Games Studios, and she will be missed more than words can ever begin to describe.

I may not always be the smartest guy in the room, but I know a good person when I meet them, and Melissa was certainly a good person. She was warm, caring, smart and sincere, and I will miss her smile in our hallways a great deal.

The day before she died, Melissa and I went for coffee and she told me that when I moved to my new role in Art, she was going to really miss me in Test, because I always made her laugh. I'll never forget these words, as it was the last time we spoke. The following morning she was gone, and our workplace and lives are now changed forever. She was so determined and so focused, and it's a real shame that her life was taken in such a senseless manner.

Melissa, I will really miss our coffee breaks, and I'll never hear another Coldplay song again without thinking of you asking whether or not the butterflies were real.

Rest In Peace

Share this on: facebook