Last Monday morning, very early, I received a phone call with the sad news that a friend had been killed in a freak car accident over the weekend. His name was Jean-Maxime Perramon and he was 63 years young. A fellow artist whom I had had a long association with over the last 25 years; he was not only a business colleague but more importantly a friend. (Photo: Jean Perramon)

Jean was an extremely talented animator and storyboard artist who had, to anyone that knew him, lived life in the fast lane both figuratively and literarily. In his younger years he had his struggles with various addictions and smoked like a chimney. He loved fast cars and regularly changed them out like an old pair of denims. (Photo: A younger, wilder Jean)

I can remember meeting with him at his office and taking note of a Porsche in his parking spot and a month later seeing a Maserati. He would always greet me with a big; “Hey BUDDY!” When I asked about the cars he’d laugh and say in his French accent; “Yeah, I saw that Maserati and I had to have it!” or he’d laugh and tell me that he crashed the other car.   

But last weekend, he didn’t crash his Ferrari. Instead, he had pulled on to the shoulder of the freeway out in the Agoura Hills area because he thought he had run over something in the road and wanted to check his car; a beautiful silver Ferrari. According to the CHP report; “As he opened his door to get out, he stepped partially into the slow lane and was struck by the driver of a Lexus who had swerved to avoid a collision with another vehicle.”

Jean was airlifted to the hospital and despite all the efforts to save him; he died of his injuries that Saturday afternoon about five hours after the accident. What a loss!

It was devastating to hear and it certainly made me hit the pause button for a good part of the day just to process the news. I just had lunch with Jean three weeks ago in Studio City. He looked the best that I had ever seen him look; trim, happy, not smoking anymore. He had even become a vegetarian.

But he still had a penchant for those exotic sports cars. I use to envy him cruising down Pacific Coast Highway every workday from his home in Malibu to his office in Santa Monica; clear skies, calm ocean, top down, sunglasses on and a big smile on his face. He enjoyed life to its fullest.

Talking to a mutual friend late Monday, we reminisced about Jean and his wild life. We both thought that he would leave this world doing 100 MPH perhaps into a tree, never though by just stepping out of his parked car. That just seemed completely out of character; it wasn’t part of the playbook.

Jean had years ahead of him and no doubt they would have been great years for him. He was just one of those characters that left an indelible mark on you; he was an exuberant, optimistic and spirited person to be around. We always had great laughs and often times spent a good part of a meeting catching up on what each of us was doing at that moment.

His lose galvanizes the fact that in the scheme of things, life is very fragile and can be over in an instant. We always hear the phrase “life is short” and it truly hits home when you lose a friend or loved one prematurely; in a flash without warning.

It makes me want to do even more every day! I thought I was already choking the life out of every waking minute of every hour and squeezing as much as I could out of the day. But even doing so, you do have to hit that pause button and stop to smell the roses once in a while; it’s good for the soul.

And with that I say; Goodbye Buddy! You raged against the machine with the best of them and became much better off for it.  

Next week I’ll be back to rage against the local machine again with more hair-raising information on some serious bullshit going on, where else, right here in the Santa Clarita Valley. Stay tuned!!!

Dave Bossert- Commentary 

Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.