MANDEVILLE - A hunting trip, a shining moment in Saints football history, fishing with a friend. Don Dubuc says those pictures of Hokie Gajan bring a smile to his face on a painfully sad day.
"It just brings back so many of the really good memories and times with Hokie," said the WWL TV & Radio Outdoors Host, "It was just so much fun being around him, you know."
Five months of a hard-fought cancer battle came to end an Monday night when the former LSU Tiger, Saints player and sports radio analyst passed away. The loss has been tough on everyone; family, friends and former teammates alike.
"Seeing a man that has never felt sorry for himself laying in bed, really needing the hugs, really needing the attention, it hits you hard," said Gajan's son-in-law Brandon Mier.
"Losing Hokie, he's a folk hero here," said former Saints teammate Rich Mauti, "He's just, you've gotta know Hokie. And if you ever met him, you know him, because that's Hokie all the time."
But the community is supporting itself through the tears.
"I'm glad to see him out of pain," said a cancer survivor who called into WWL Radio Tuesday afternoon.
"It may be dark on this side but there's plenty, plenty light where big Hokie is," said a caller from Mississippi, "Much love to his family, much love to ya'll showing love."
Fans also traded their favorite "Hokie-isms" on social media, while those who knew him fell back on stories and snapshots in time that remain, even though he's gone.
"He was a what you see is what you get type of guy, which I appreciate," said Mier, "You would never leave guessing he liked you, if he didn't like you, if he loved you."
"Of course, the Hokie Tough thing came around, fighting cancer, tough football player. But I saw some not so tough Hokie's," said Dubuc, "When you see a full-grown man, his size, singing the Barney theme to his grandchildren, that's emotion."
A legacy of love, laughter, hard work and harder words, that will last a lifetime.
"It's never going to go away. He's going to be part of New Orleans forever," said Mauti, "No one will forget Hokie, ever."
A balloon release for Hokie is scheduled at Hook'd up Restaurant in Madisonville Wednesday at 6 p.m. Visitation will be held Friday from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at St. Anselm Church in Madisonville. A funeral mass will follow at 3 p.m.