TESTAMENT Guitarist: 'Every Now And Then, Life Tosses You Reminders That Nothing Is Certain'

TESTAMENT/TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA guitarist Alex Skolnick has issued the following update:

"I haven't posted in a while, since I've been on tour with TSO, and had planned to write all about that. But last night, I got an e-mail with the awful news that the night before, Sean Webber had been struck and killed by a vehicle on his way home from school.

"I didn't know Sean well. I met him when I appeared on Eddie Trunk's radio show a few months ago and he was an intern. Later that night, we ran into each other on the subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn. We had a great talk on the ride home in which he told me all about his own college radio show and how much he was taking in as an intern for Eddie. A few days later, I went ventured to the outer edge of Brooklyn (far away from my area of Brooklyn, which is closer to Manhattan) and was a guest on Sean's show, 'The Metal Meltdown'. I truly felt that one day he would become a succesful DJ/personality like Eddie. He had talent and drive beyond his years and an incredible dedication to music.

"It's strange that there are people who have died whom I've know longer but for some reason this really hits a nerve. He just seemed so 'alive.' He just called recently about having me back on his show, once I was off the road. He's on MySpace and I'm in his 'Top Friends' list.

"On his show, we were talking about Dimebag Darrell, and how Dime passed away too soon. Who knew Sean would leave the Earth a short time later, at such a young age and with so much ahead of him?

"Ironically, I got the news of Sean's passing just after attending the funeral of a friend, Roni Abitbol, who had passed away from lung cancer. Roni was the manager of Ishtar, a world music singer who I've played guitar with. Roni had made it to an age where he recently became a grandfather, but still seemed too young to pass away.

"Everyone remembers Roni as a classic, unforgettable 'New York' character. He was neurotic, high-energy, outrageous, opiniated, infuriating yet lovable. He had his frustrations with the music business and great success always seemed just around the corner, never to materialize. Yet there among his admirers was an influential figure in the music business who learned the ropes from his experiences with Roni. This guy took time out of running one of the biggest record labels in the world so he could speak and pay his respects to his close friend, Roni.

"We're all going to miss him.

"Every now and then, life tosses you these reminders that nothing is certain. Make sure you are living your life the way you want to because you never know when your time is up."