Stephen Southall has been my friend for 35 years, since we met in the summer of 1987 in Peterborough.

Over the years we’ve known each other I’ve spent time with many of the Southall clan—Carol and George, deeply interesting parents, had six kids, all of them deeply interesting people. They are a remarkable bunch.

For the past 13 years Stephen has made a household for his mother a powerful, inspiring act of service.

Stephen’s family, led by his niece Carol, have organized a GoFundMe campaign to send him to Las Vegas to play in the World Series of Poker, a trip that would serve both to scratch his poker itch—he is a passionate student of the game—and to give him much-needed, much-deserved respite.

Perhaps the greatest thing to come from this fundraiser is this video, which may be the most singularly Southall thing ever produced.

As a favour to me, and as a way of honouring Stephen’s service, please consider throwing in $20 to the effort; your stake won’t solve what ails the world, but it will breathe life into the spirits of a dear old friend.