Manu9

What a sad way for the board to go.
Amelia let me know of what is happening a few days ago and since then I thought a lot about what to post. I haven't posted here for a while now, I think a couple of years at least, but I was part of this board for a long time and a devoted fan of Chad's. As I said, I thought about what I wanted to say and I've decided I want to end my experience here on a positive note rather than a negative one. I read all the posts and I agree with some things that were said, disagree with others. Some things I find just, others too harsh. As far as I'm concerned, Chad was a big part of my life for several years. I loved him as an actor and as a person, I supported him and defended him and followed his projects. He and One Tree Hill were the reason why I joined FanForum, which has made my life richer thanks to the people I interacted with and the friends I have made, several of them still part of my life, even if in a different way now that Chad has stopped binding us together as it used to be. Chad was also what gave me the courage to meet some of these friends during two trips to Wilmington to visit the set. No matter what Chad might have done in his private life or how disappointing his career might be to some, I will always be grateful that thanks to my crush on him, I met those friends and lived those vacations, which remain some of the best memories in my life.
I don't want to partecipate in the discussion about his private life and the way he allegedly treats his women. That is not my business, not anymore. If there's one thing I've learnt during the years I've been a fan of Chad's, is that celebrities owe us only a good performance while their private life is theirs only to live. I don't like some of the things he did, other things I think were different than most people believe. I sure don't regret what I've said about the break up with Sophia Bush because anything I said was because of information that came to me from multiple and reliable sources.
I'm glad I was fortunate enough to know and meet Kenzie, because I believe she's the kind of woman every young girl should look up to. I wish her to find the right person one day and I wish the same to Chad. I don't know if he's still with Nicki or not, I don't even care. I don't believe Chad is evil. I think he's looking for something and probably he doesn't always go at it the right way. But I can't presume to judge him, especially considering the events of his childhood. Ultimately, Sophia was with him for a couple of years and Kenzie for 7, so I find it hard to believe there's nothing good in him. I do think life is hard for celebrities, in the sense that they are expected to meet a higher standard than what we all do. That's the downside of being famous, I guess. When they fall, they fall hard.
What I'm going to do is keep and treasure the memories of the emotions he made me feel through his performances and during those moments of my meetings with him, when he was so very kind and sweet to me and my friends. I will still watch his future projects if they catch my interest, because whatever he does with his personal life, I still think he has talent as an actor and I've learnt to separate the two things.

I do wish the board could have gone out quietly, not to preserve Chad and his reputation, but for what this board has been for so many years, for the great moments we spent here and the significance it had for many of us. But that is just my opinion.

I want to thank those who kept this board alive and kicking before, during and after my time here. And I want to give a virtual hug to those people who made it special to me: Shannen, Amelia, Sonia, Melanie, Kellie, Kia, Linda, Gal and Bia. Some of them posted regularly, some only made sporadic appearances, all of them have a special place in my heart.