lupestripe | Entei-rah

While enjoying Drums and Roses at Scotiacon on Saturday, we found out that our friend Entei-rah had passed away at the age of 39.

I had tried to see him twice during my trip back to the UK – the first on 26 January and the second a week later with Taneli. Alas, he was too ill to have visitors on both occasions, with him dropping me a message on the Saturday before our first planned meeting to tell me he was back in hospital.

He had been battling cancer for some time, but things deteriorated around Christmas time. We knew that he didn’t have long left as things got worse throughout January.

When he was moved into end-of-life care on 4 February, we suspected that his death would coincide with Scotiacon. It was a convention that he had supported from its early days in Inverness with a handful of people, and I think the 2025 iteration was the first he was unable to attend. It was bitterly ironic that we found out during what was one of his favourite events – a high octane celebration of all that is Scottish. I was missing him before I discovered the news, and I missed him even more after.

Entei-rah is the closest friend I have lost so far and this makes the pain all the more acute. He was one of the first furs I ever met and was a good friend for 18 years. Whenever we met, we could chat for hours and we met regularly, at least once a month. He was a mainstay in the NorthernFurs, while we attended many of the same cons and events. He was always around and I was always glad to see him.

The passing of Entei-rah has been received with considerable sadness, which is a testament to the incredible contribution he has made to the fandom over his 23-year involvement. I have been heartened by the memories my friends have shared of him, while we have all rallied together to manage our grief. Being at Scotiacon was a blessing and a curse. It was odd swinging from such joy to such sadness so quickly, but being around close friends like Doveux and Procyon made coming to terms with the news a lot easier.

Entei-rah was committed to the NorthernFurs, passionately believing in the six-city meet rotation, coming down from Durham for nearly every gathering. Even when interest in some cities waned, he still travelled down to places like Chester, hoping to keep those events alive.

Then, when the community grew bigger, he was one of the main drivers behind LeedsFurs. Through his hosting of the LeedsFurs website and dedicated promotion of the meets on social media, Entei-rah was an integral part of our local community. Without him, LeedsFurs wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful as it now is.

Entei-rah was one of the first people I met in the fandom, back at a York Meet in February 2007. We bonded through a mutual love of Greggs. It became something of a meme, a simple shared experience that somehow drew us together. Whenever we met, it was how our conversations began, and we certainly leaned into the stereotype. My plan had been to turn up on 26 January with a steak bake in hand.

Over the years, he cooked a Christmas meal for his closest friends at an event he called Entmas, which was always one of the highlights of the year. I was also fortunate enough to attend his wedding to Angela, to whom I can only express my deepest sympathy over her loss.

Was he cynical? Certainly. Grumpy? Occasionally. But Ent had a fantastic heart and he will be sorely missed. His attendance at the meets was always a source of great joy and I remember having many in-depth conversations with him over the years. His disinctive Entei-rah t-shirts, which often changed year on year, were always a source of great amusement.

From those first days on IRC all the way through to overseas conventions, many of us have shared our lives with Ent and it’s hard to believe he is gone. Even though we knew this was coming, it still doesn’t prepare you for the shock when it does. Ent has been part of the furry fandom for so long, we always thought he was going to be there with us. Now, we must navigate the future without him.

Ent passionately believed in the furry fandom and always looked for ways to contribute positively to our community. One way he did this is through the photo gallery on his website, where every meet and convention he attended since 2006 has been chronicled. Less interested in fursuits, he recorded the people who attended the meets. Flicking through the photos brings back so many warm memories, things I had forgotten but was overjoyed to relive. He has preserved an invaluable piece of our history and through his photos, Ent’s memory will live on.

Ent has highlighted the importance of our community and through our grief, we must remember to support each other. My life has certainly been enriched by Ent and I have many wonderful times to look back on. As much as it hurts, it’s important to remember that it reflects the depth of our loss.

At the LeedsFurs Meet on Saturday, we will have a book of rememberance where our community can share their memories of Ent. I will certainly be writing my own memories of a friend who will be sorely missed.

Enjoy the big Greggs in the sky, bunny. I'll raise a pasty to you.