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Andrew power memorial

 

 

man with dreads joyously playing guitar

On a heartbreaking note... as many know, Andrew Power, aka Jakob the Baker, aka Knotty Andrew, aka The Original Knotty Boy with whom Adrianna started Knotty Boy from the very beginning, passed away from this world on May 10, 2003 at 1 a.m., after peacefully saying goodbye to his family.



Andrew, age 28, suffered for a very short time from a rare and deadly form of heart and lung cancer, and his passing was sudden. Thank you all so much for your prayers, emails and thoughts for him and his family over the years. Please continue to keep his family and friends in your hearts as we pick up the pieces for years to come. He's resting now and, as hard as this is for us to understand, who knows what worse thing in his future he was perhaps mercifully spared from by this turn of events. What we do know is that Andrew Power was a wonderful, amazing young man whose sense of humour, wisdom and faith was a bright spot in many a Knotty kid's day.

We all miss you so much, Andrew.

All our love,

Adrianna and the ones whose lives you touched.

Andrew Power - rest in peace
May 10, 2003



man with white t-shirt and shoulder length hair wearing a chin beard playing drums twirling a drumstick in his left hand
man with shoulder length dreadlocks in white t shirt leaning on minivan with green grassy lawn behind him
closeup shot of smiling yet pensive handsome young man with shoulder length brown dreadlocked hair
Andrew's room, with boat-anchor old crt monitor, posters of Mr T and unclear relics of the early 2000s

 

Over the years since that sad day in May, we've had dozens of emails roll in from the Knotty family and others, wanting to share their grief and stories of how their lives were touched by Andrew Power and his humour, friendship, and caring, understanding spirit. Here are some of them.

If you have a story or words you'd like to share, please email them to us and we'll be sure to include them here.



man in multicoloured coat standing on a rocky beach on a cloudy day looking left

 

Hi Adrianna,

On behalf of my whole family I want to thank you for the nice tribute you have made to Andrew on your Knotty Boy web site. When I opened that page it filled me with renewed overwhelming grief, but I was very pleased that you had taken the time to put that tribute there. I hope it can remain there for some time.

Good luck and stay well,

Jack Power (Andrew's poppa)


Hello. I just came in from playing outside with the kids and got your email. I hadn't visited the website recently so I was totally shocked and saddened by the news about Andrew. Even though we never met, I feel like I knew him from all our emails back and forth in the early days of Ozzie's dreads way back when. I can't thank you enough for taking the time to write me back. I told Ozzie about what happened and he said he felt very sad. Ozzie's little brother, Harlo, said he believes that Andrew will be reincarnated. Just know that Andrew and you are in our thoughts.

Heidi A. (Knotty Ozzie's mom)


man with tongue hanging out looking upwards wearing shirt with a photo of a woman saying oh my God I forgot to have children

 

Hi Adrianna and friends. I am Andrew Power's friend, Darren. I have been intending to write something to include on your website in tribute to him for years, but have always been too sad. There is a picture that I took and had enlarged, of Andrew leaning back and chilling out in some sandy, shallow water near Harrison Hot Springs, that I keep in a central place in my home. It is one of my most valued possessions. I took the picture while camping with Adrianna's family in 1997...

I am so glad to read the comments on his tribute page on the Knotty Boy website. He made such an important impression on my life during the time that we were together, and he obviously had the same effect on other folks who knew him.

I miss Andrew. I miss him calling me at 3am to talk about his faith. I miss calling him at 3am to talk about music. I miss him showing up at my workplace on a random day after not seeing him for 3 years. I miss playing shows at the Edgewater Hotel when we were in high school. I miss him driving downtown and intentionally hitting all the bumps on the canal road to get as much noise as possible out of my drums which were stored in the back of his parents' station wagon. Ha ha. I miss watching weird videos that he got from God knows where, before the invention of the internet. I miss photocopying all of our street posters at his father's workplace in the middle of the night, and hanging them all around downtown Toronto. (I didn't realize at the time that he had really been putting up wanted posters for a blind, blue, three humped camel named Alice, and offering a kiss from me as reward.)

What's wrong with me that I can't erase Andrew's many email addresses from my contact list in Hotmail? For a while he was very excited that hotmale.com was still available and he wanted me to snatch it up before it was taken. Ha ha. I know at least 20 people who are better, living people today because of Andrew's influence. I have never known such a passionate and creative person since Andrew. And man, he was nice too. There must be a good place for the very best people on Earth to go.

I have no idea how to finish a long overdue memorial to my friend. My intention is to finalize the recording project that I started with him in mind. But I have no idea if anybody wants to hear it now.... It's sad for me. He was such a very, very good friend to me - always there in my darkest days. I have not done enough yet to honour him. Brother, if I ever show up at Heaven's gate, I hope that you come out to find me for a chat. There's a lot of stuff that we didn't get to do.

All of my love to Andrew's friends and family,

Darren T.


man's legs sticking from around a corner below his head which appears to be rather unimpressed by being photographed on the toilet

 

To me, he was the man formerly know as 'Andy.' As he grew older he preferred Andrew. I went to public school and high school with the fellow and wanted to share some experiences.

While I was driving, he'd reach over and beep the horn relentlessly, especially in drive thrus and stop lights. Watching as he charged across an empty parking lot at a community fair, yelling "Anarchy!!" while straightening and tidying a trampled fence used for organizing lines. Introducing me to Tom Waits 'Bone Machine.' (Brilliant!) Being a country boy, it was one of my first excursions to downtown Toronto. Andrew kept picking up news publications as we were walking down the street and giving it to me. "Here, this stuff is free!" Took me 2 blocks before I realized I was carrying a substantial collection of gay and lesbian erotica. While working at a local gas station together for a brief stint, he chased me out the front door with a crow bar, I tripped and tore my pants. It was pretty funny. While driving everyone to the movies one night, a fire broke out and my car seat cover burnt up. Fairly certain it had to do with cigarette papers, banana peels and a goofy sense of experimentation. Admittedly, I did play a key role in this.

Calling me the 'cat and salad man' and encouraging me to grow a ridiculously long goatee. Tossing a ketchup laden French fry at me in a truck stop restaurant, missing me and planting it on the back of a very big trucker guy. "You guys throwing stuff back there?" We quickly paid and fled the scene on mini motorcycles. For years, we joked that he still has yet to find the tasty morsel. (Classic!!)

My condolences to Andrews family and to all that loved him. I think of him often and will forever be grateful for his friendship.

Matt M. (aka 'The Cat and Salad Man')


Although I have never met Andrew, the story about him touched me very much. I have gone through losing a close friend before too and it's the hardest thing you can ever go through. It felt like I could never be strong enough to handle it. My friend's name was Dylan and him and I were always goofing around in class. It makes me smile when I think of him. When I found out that he had been murdered, it was just the worst feeling in the world. Andrew sounds like he was a wonderful kid. I know you're strong enough, Adrianna.

Kayla


I just came across a sticker with the Knotty Boy website and thought I would see if you guys were still in action... I did find a strong soul connection with Andrew Power. If I recall correctly he mentioned that he was involved in the start up of the company and I am happy to see it carrying on! Andrew is much missed.

Blessings,

Matt G.


close up shot of man with dreadlocks tied up looking down on a rocky beach with branches behind him on a cloudy day

 

(edited with permission)

I thought I'd just share my story for the site about Andrew and me for the memory of easily the best friend I ever had.

Andrew and I had attended CUC together. We instantly hit it off on one early evening when we were to sit down for dinner. I saw him sitting at a table alone and decided to go up to him and encourage him to come and sit with me as I introduced him to everyone else. With Andrew's charming spirit he just fit in so nicely. We understood each other, and I was glad in that because I was also surrounded by people who didn't quite understand me. He made me feel good about who I was and where our purposes were. One thing I'll never forget is the warmth in his hugs or the day when he met my dad and gave him one of those right arm clasp pat pats on the back doing some sort of ghetto clasp hand shake and ended with the catch phrase "what up G?"

Sometimes I'd have a really bad day and he'd come over to my dorm with a CD that he burnt for me, being none other then Chris Carraba. It's been years since I've been able to pull myself to even talking about it, sometimes it feels like a dream and I wake up and wonder did this all happen? But it did. I never got to say goodbye, not even when I left school. He was pretty sick at the time. I didn't even know what happened - I just knew I was scared.

You made this world a better place, Andrew, you made my world a better place. You came with all your merciful acceptance, and your abounding love and you just made everyone know that they were so lucky to be alive. You had a way about you that just made everything right. I guess this is my way of actually finally saying goodbye. I'll never look at a person sitting alone as just another number, but only as a new friend. I love you Andrew, I miss you. And forever you and your family will be in my prayers.

I am aware that obviously Andrew will never read this, but this is my way of saying goodbye. I heard an awful lot about you kids at Knotty Boy. He loved you so incredibly much, he talked about you almost everyday.

All my love,

Jennifer-Lynn P.


Hi there, I just thought that I'd send a note because I was a friend of Andrew. I had the opportunity to sing with him, he played for me on many occasions. I still can't believe he's gone. It seems so unreal. I can still hear him quoting lines from The Simpsons and his corny knock-knock jokes. I know that you guys will miss him a lot. Just know that he left a big impact here in Alberta. I wish success for your company.

God Bless,

Lesa M.


Just a quick note for you, a big hug and my heartfelt condolences, because I just found out about KnottyAndrew, I just had a couple of e-mails with him, and felt he was a very real and honest person, I am very sad to hear this bad news, at least we all know that now he is really enjoying life eternal with JAH, no more pains, no more worries, no more earthly problems; I'll make this quick because I feel tears coming to my eyes. A very big hug from the bottom of my heart to you, and your staff at Knottyboy. It's something how you can spot a good person even thru the e-mail, we had a couple of talks about God, and now more than ever I will remember his thoughts and way of looking at life. May God (JAH) comfort all of you that knew him.

Sincerely,

Jacques D.


Hello.

I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry to hear about Andrew, I just found out today and I'm not taking it very well.

A while ago, I emailed in a question, and he responded to it, and we just stared emailing each other back and forth quite a bit about music, and life. On April 11th, was his last email I ever received from him, and he stated how he was sick, he thought it was mono, and that he would return, and respond to my emails as soon as he got better. I emailed him again, a few weeks later wondering why he hadn't responded, and I still hadn't heard anything, so I figured he was busy. Today he came across my mind, and I decided to check out the website to see if there was any notice about his whereabouts. Sadly, I found out the bad news. He was an incredible guy and I miss him so much. I hope you are all doing okay, and I hope his family is coping well. It's such a terrible loss, and no matter how hard it is to take in, I am just glad that he won't be suffering, and that he is at peace.

 

I hope he is around here in spirit because God only knows he was a wonderful person.

Thank you for reading. Best of luck 8)

Hayley


I'm so sorry to hear about Andrew... I bought his CD, and sent him some emails. He seemed like a really sorted guy. I wanted to ask him if I could use his music for my online portfolio... I sent him one or two of my pictures and he seemed to like them. That's when I found out he had sadly passed away...

My deepest sympathy to you and his family.

Matt


Greetings Knottyboy (This is fairly lengthy but please bear with me),

A few years ago I started gathering information about locking hair... When I finally "got the internet" I was able to explore information online and of course in very little time arrived at the Knotty Boy website. At the time I was thrilled to find out all of the information you folks had on your site and of course it was not long before I got one of your dread kits, when it arrived I was thrilled with everything, how it smelled the colors, the information and also the wonderful tam that came, to this day it is the only hat I wear anywhere. (Those hats really are the greatest.)

Needless to say I had questions about locks and especially after being informed that "white hair does not lock" by people I was not sure and full of questions, and it was not long before I wrote to you guys, and at the time it was Andrew who answered my questions. I was not sure what to expect or if I would even get a response but in a matter of a day or two I received the most encouraging answers to my questions from Andrew that I could have imagined. I could tell that he actually cared whether or not my locks succeeded or not. My name is also Andrew and the first thing he said to me was "finally, someone like me". Any way I had no idea what I was doing and would have stopped more than once if not for Andrew's encouraging words to me.

However in the end of this attempt at growing locks I had failed. I had my hair so soaked in wax (I had no idea how much to use and used a ton, that cannot be over emphasized) and I combed it so much that I destroyed my locks inadvertently (I had no concept of long term patience) and for the sake of simplicity I completely shaved my head and put locking on hold until I could figure out what to do.

Any way to continue I have been to your site on and off because I really like to look at all the pictures of your happy customers, it really is nice to see. However last night at like two in the morning I clicked for the first time in years on the music link and found out the horrible news that Andrew had died. My heart literally stopped and it took a while before it sunk in, I could not believe it. The first thing I did was purchase his CD, and I am really glad there were some left.

During my correspondence with Knotty Andrew he was nothing but kind and encouraging to me, if not for his kindness and care I would not have stayed interested in locks and given up. He helped me through quite a bit and answered quite a few e-mails (all of which I am now glad that I saved, the computer deletes them after a while and the print outs are all that's left). The one thing Andrew always emphasized to me was time and patience, as well as love for your hair, it is these three ingredients which are the most important to locking hair and which I have lived by in order to get to where I am today. Locking really is a growth process and it took a while before Andrew's words really sank in, they were always there - just not completely absorbed. I owe so much to Andrew and I wish that I could thank him for everything he has done for me, he really did change my life.

Of course he passed away a long time ago and I feel so stupid for just finding out now but I feel compelled to write to you or maybe more specifically to Adrianna to tell you how sad I was to find out of Andrew's passing. Better late than never and all my sympathy to Andrew's family, not just anyone from the other side of the country can make such an impact on ones life as Andrew did for me. I owe my (new) locks, which are an extremely special part of me, entirely to Andrew and his efforts. It was his encouragement and advice alone that kept me dedicated and hopeful. I may not have known him personally but I promise you, he will be missed but never forgotten. All my thanks to you and I hope this message finds its way to the appropriate people.

Andrew P.


Sometime in May of 2003, a friend of Andrew's and mine - Adrianna's father - asked me if I would be interested in driving to Alberta to pick up a student returning from college there. Andrew and I connected by phone, and, while everyone tends to speak well of the departed, all I can say is that it was like speaking to a long-lost brother, and I was sure that he and I would be friends, because from our first, and what turned out to be our only, brief conversation, we already were.

We planned for me to arrive in a few days. Before I could leave, he emailed that he was unwell, and hitching a ride with someone who was going his way. He left us shortly after returning home.

I started working for Knotty Boy a few years later, and in 2013 I became its owner and manager. Since that time I've found his fingerprints around.

To Jack Power and whoever else is reading, I say that as long as I am at the helm, this memorial page will be here.

Michael McKendrick



THE STRANGE WORKS OF JAKOB THE BAKER



 

album cover for goodnight my andromeda by Jakob the Baker aka Andrew Power yellow background with spacey looking vehicle seeming to fly toward and above the viewer




Below is Andrew's one fully completed record, Goodnight, My Andromeda, preserved here for your listening pleasure. © 2002

 

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