Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

This is truly shocking news..
It's just so surreal to read this - It really is difficult to believe..

Man..

He was truly an inspiration. Actually - many of you kitbashers here are an inspiration - but Bill made the impossible into reality. And they were flawless..
MasterPiece Power Master Optimus Prime, MasterPiece Motormaster and Menasor, War Within Megatron.. the list goes on..

He had a lot of ideas.. and a lot of projects going on at the same time..
Bill was always thinking of what to do next - what would be his next project..

I joined Transtopia two years ago because I was so inspired by the creations. After looking at TFM's kitbashes - I had confidence to do my own.
Bill's encouraging words motivated me.. I mean - the guy never put down any of the ideas that I had - he only added to them..
and for that I thank him..

After posting a few drawings here - TFM and I collaborated using the Myth Wars concept and created the Gargoyle/Dinobots, Stone/Constructicons, and MW Megatron (which was a winged, fire-breathing, horse).

Even during his working on MP Menasor he wanted to scratchbuild a MW Megs..!
I guess he always had to do work on something - always had to figure out how to accomplish/fix problems ..

I will really miss him.

He truly was the TransFormer Master..

R.I.P. Bill Koshorek
1975 - 2007

.billy

keeblezak wrote:oh, my. i can't help but wonder if his recent troubles with work and the site helped to contribute to this. and this is a kind of wake up call for me and probaly some others around here. people who post on the forums are real people, sitting at a computer, laughing, socialising, having a family. in other words human. this dwarfs all other concerns we have had here over the last few months with the threat of losing the domain and all.
r.i.p bill

It's good to be reminded once in a while, but hopefully it's something we're all aware of. I think it's especially important when someone else is having a bad day and acting like a jerk.

Pun-3X wrote:I just saw the link at TFans, leading to the one at Seibertron.

This was entirely unexpected. I mean, at 31 years old? My head's still reeling from this, I can't believe it's true.

What awful news.

How do you get a heart attack at 31? Did he have a really poor lifestyle? Smoking, drinking, eating, and stress? Oh well, I guess if someone like me doesn't know him well enough, it's none of our business, especially since it's all over and done with.
Also, guys, be careful with those toxic chemicals and sharp objects. They're bad enough alone, in combination they're probably much worse. You don't want that stuff IN your body.

I hope I get to make kitbashes before *I* die. One of these days I'm going to buy an airbrush with an air compressor. and do casting.

I just got back into town this week and started catching up on all my TFNews. I saw on TFormers an article about TFMaster passing away, and ran straight to my bookmarks. I was so hoping to meet him this year when I last spoke to him. Man, with him gone now. His wife and son are going to be stuck in a serious rock and a hard place. I'm so sad about this news.

What the HELL???????

I have not been able to get online very much as of late from work and the day I get some time to check everything out and say hi to the gang I'm met with this!

Personally, I never did get the chance to meet Bill but it was his work that inspired me and got my creative juices flowing. My heart goes out to his family and I only hope that they get enough donations to help ease some of the pain and frustration that this has caused!

......






*speachless*

I lost my friend. There's not really much else to say.

::lowers hat and head in Honor::

Truly one of the few who honestly deserved the name MASTER..

This is truly awful....It just doesn't seem real. TF Master, as many of you have stated, was the inspiration for me to get into kitbashing. I found his original site a few years ago and was completley floored by what i had found. This guy was and is one of the greatest Artists I have ever seen.

My love and best wishes go out to your wife and son. TF Master, You will be soreley missed.

R.I.P. TF Master.

Duo.

A friend of us passed away last week..

I got to know his work via unicron.com, I addored everyone of them.
I emailed this TFmaster to offer some help on setting up his own showcase as it was obviously needed.

He insisted on one thing, and that was to offer a home to a future Community, where alikes could share ideas.. showcase their work etc.
The site should never be build for him alone, that was what Bill insisted.

So we went at work, Transtopia slowly started to deploy and rest is history.
He achieved what he wanted, his goal was set and done for.
Transtopia as the ultimate kitbashers portal.

I have talked so much with this guy over time, I even wanted to book a trip to the US and he offered me his couch to sleep on, his table to eat off.. his family to meet.
The plan didnt went through, I moved... got new work, transformers and everything bound to it (i.e. kitbashes, art) was quickly left out of my life as I had other stuff around.
We still talked to each other via email here and there (i dont have my own inet connection), but really.. the contact wasnt what it was, and i feel damn ashamed of it now as this man was one of the best guys you would wanna know in life.

Both a mentor and friend, passed away.
My thoughts go out to each and everyone here at Transtopia, but mainly to his wife and son; as they where his joy and delight in life.
He allways was a damn proud husband and father, many can take an example of that.

I salute you, TFM.

I am lost for Words at the moment Just holding a Minutes silence at Lunch time Bill was a friend in Which was always there. He will be missed , Theres not many people that have pushed me to work at doing customs or artwork as Much as Him . To many he was the one person which really was a shocker in the fact that hes work Moved the borders of Kit bashing and more.

RIP Bill its a sad day to lose you as you have been the key person in which has helped so many.

I hope hes familys will be ok through this period of time and i give my best wishes

Evilratbat

it saddens me to hear such aweful news...

it is this time we see the darkest hour truly has come and the light of the kitbasher's matrix was in tfmaster. i greeve this man's passing, as he was an inspiration for me to start doing my own kitbashes and repaints....

no one will ever hold the torch, the matrix fire, that this man held to the craft, i only pray that he has found peace everlasting. i only wish i had a chance to meet the legend once, if at all. i regret not coming back sooner. my heart felt grief goes to his wife and thier son. i wish there was only more i could do....

safe passage adn safe journey Bill, may you soar on wings of angels and transform inspriation to reality in heaven as you did in life...

I'm having a hard time beleiveing what I'm reading, It's such a horrible shock.

My prayers go out to him and his family. I know there's a link on the first page of this topic but incase you didn't visit it, there's a link to donate money for the funeral and for Rachel. If yoou have a the ability, please donate.

This has to be the greatest loss we've had at this forum. Transformers just won't be the same without him.

Tfmaster, I salut you and may your spirt live on.

This is truly sad.

My thoughts and condolences for Lauren, Rachael and all of his family.

Thank you Bill, for being an inspiration and a friend. You will be missed.

Rest in Peace TFMaster

A "sad day" just doesn't seem to cover it. My deepest condolences to Lauren and Rachael. I hope that you can find some comfort in knowing that so many people have been touched by TFMaster, and that we are all grieving with you. The inspiration he has been to us all is a legacy that will carry on for a long time. I think in my opinion his greatest kitbash is the community he created here, where we all share our creativity and passion. I think we all carry a part of him with us, and as long as Transtopia continues, then a part of him will always be felt here.

I raise a glass of the finest Energon in tribute to TFMaster

I knew TFM since BotCon 2005; when I met him in person for the first time. I had been a part of his site here for some time prior to that; but it was nice to meet him in person for the first time back then.

I met him again in '06 and we hung out for a while; so I did know him outside of the site here. I know he was looking forward to BC '07; and he was working on that Classics Sixshot for it.

It's a shame he wasn't able to go. I'm sure he'll be there in spirit though.

RIP Bill, you will be missed.

Even as a lurker, I must express my grief at the loss of a great man. I hope you find salvation on the other side, Bill.

Goodbye, farewell, and amen.

As I have just read this news my heart sank, I haven't been around here for a while but I would just like to say this site and especially tfm made me reinterested in tfs after years of neglect.

He was a true blue tf fan as reflected in his work, and his tireless effort in keeping this site afloat.

As I only knew him through transtopia, I would like to put a big one out there for the one, tfmaster.

Please support his family god in this time of their need.

adam

man...I was truly shocked when I read this news a few days ago...before I was a kitbasher, I did a lot of modelbuilding work but seeing Bill`s work made me go "I want to learn that!" and I humbly tried a repaint...so here`s to TFmaster...may he find eternal rest and guide our deeds from the hereafter. heck, I`d hope he`d become the kitbasher`s deity...I know he helped me plenty of times on paintwork I doubted on or materials and parts I could use...

I will never forget you TFMaster. RIP

I hadn't really been here in a while, but when I got the news from TFW2005 I was saddened by it and couldn't really think of much to say.
His customs and ideas were extraordinary and they will be missed.

So long, TFMaster. Rest in Peace.

...I'll respond more once the shock wares off.

I'm a very lucky person to have known Bill as well as I did. He was always a friend first, a kitbasher second. He may have had other friends aside from me, but he always made me feel like I was his only friend. I wish I had done more for him. Every time I think I've gotten over this the tears come again. It's just so hard to stop. I'll never forget him, and I hope to see his smiling face again someday.

Oh God, this is horrifying news. I never met him, but it was this site and his awe-inspiring work that lifted my spirit when I was feeling down in 2004. My God, the number of times I came here just to see if there was some bit that be so amazing as to perk me right up...and without fail, there something was, lifting me up.

This truely is horrible, because we did lose a family member. All of us, whether in the context of all or Transfandom or all us meek ones at Transtopia are like family to each other. When I read of his passing, I did cry. I'm crying as I write this. These tears, which I shed for a man I didn't even know, would cease to be at either of my aunts' funerals or wakes. We are a strong group, and we need to show that strength to his family right now, because God knows an eight-year old boy needs all the help he can get at a time like this.

A moment of silence and prayer for the hero of us all, the inspirer of the latent talent, Bill Koshorek, the TFmaster.

I've all but stopped customizing and moved on to other things but still lurk here every once in a while to see what amazing customs are being made. It is truly sad to find out about his passing. This hobby has changed quite a bit compared to only a couple of years ago and its in a large part due to TFM and this site. His dedication to the hobby is surpassed by none. But more than just a guy who made amazing customs, he was also a great guy all around as I was fortunate to have chatted with him online and met him personally during Botcon '05.

R.I.P. TFM