Dustin Marshall AKA Bigtanker: My heart is heavy...

[Gunmetalgray]

The nerf birthday set-up he recently put together to make it a special day was real epic dad actions. So very saddened for his family.

 

[Nazgul]

Oh no... sad.

Life is so fragile.

Don

 

[jerrob]

RIP Sir.
Prayers for all.

 

[Twangbanger]

Oh no...this is terrible...

 

[Fire Lord]

RIP good sir.

Sure is dusty in here.

 

[dprimm]

Damn. Just …

 

[baldmax]

Sending Love and Prayers to his family.

 

[akethan]

RIP

 

[Frosty]

Freaking heartbroken right now. Never met bigtanker but as felt like he was definitely a friend. You’ll be missed.

 

[Lpherr]

 

[KellyinAvon]

Pardon me if I ramble a bit here...

We knew we were going to lose Coach. We knew we were going to lose Churchmouse. We had no idea we would lose Bigtanker.

I met Dustin in the realz once. It was last February, Big Woods in Speedway. Churchmouse, CKW, Bigtanker, Littletanker, and me. I didn't take a picture, really wish I had. Littletanker was on a robotics team, so I talked to him about what I remembered from when my son was on a robotics team. My Dad was an over the road truck driver for over 30 years, I remember Dustin saying he wanted to drive a cab-over tractor since he'd never drove one. My Dad never drove a conventional tractor until he'd been driving over 10 years. There was quite an difference between the staff members sitting at that table. Age, background, experience, what we did for a living. None of that mattered, we were together as friends.

Dustin came here a few months before I did. He has been on staff, wow it seems like a long time. As a team on the staff at INGO... I'm hard-pressed to find a comparison to CM and BT as a team. (You may need to look this one up, 8th Fighter Wing, Ubon Thailand) Churchmouse was Robin Olds to Bigtanker's Chappie James. Dustin's measured and behind the scenes approach was the excellent counter-balance to Tim's foot to the firewall and both-barrels. Those two kept this place going.

The one time BT reached out to me as a Mod (when I was not a Mod, he reached out A LOT when I was a Mod, but that's a whole different issue.) That horrible Spring/Summer of 2020. Two Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies were shot in their vehicle. I posted the story in a new thread. I did not just post the link and a few paragraphs, I went select all/paste/post thread. Yes this does violate one of the rules other than 2, 4, or 7. Dustin sent a PM, reminding me that posting entire content of an article into a thread is verboten. I replied thanking him for the reminder (Pro-tip: that's how you do it when a staff member reminds you that you just went full rules-be-damned. Just sayin...) This particular news story really bothered me in a year when almost all the news was bad. A couple replies later I realized why it bothered me so much.

When we lost Churchmouse, Bigtanker seamlessly took over the roll of "Senior Mod". Those were some big shoes to fill, Dustin did an outstanding job. As you notice by what appears under my avatar, username and title appears "Staff Member", "Moderator", "Site Supporter". Bigtanker and Churchmouse had "Administrator" as well. A lot more comes with that banner than being a "lowly Mod". I do know I can no longer use my favorite reply to a techie-admin question: "I don't know, ask Bigtanker." Dust must be bad in here, pollen too.

RIP Dustin, you will be missed.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

I had thought BT had a Youtube channel. Very dusty in here...


https://www.youtube.com/@BigTanker134/videos

 

[LEaSH]

Never met Bigtanker. But we had some things in common.
I liked what he had to say when he said it.

This hits hard.

Peace brother.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

Here is my BT (small) story... Back in July of 2021 when IIRC CM was out for a while with his cancer and had come back, CM wrote a post about needing help with the caddy... Specifically he needed an alternator installed so someone, maybe his wife, could drive it. I contacted Bigtanker and asked if he would contact CM and see if I could send an alternator. The deal was, I wanted to remain anonymous. BT set it up and we shipped Tim an alternator for the caddy. I have no idea who installed it.

I wanted to meet BT at CM's service but he didn't make it.

Godspeed Bigtanker, you're a good man!

 

[Thor]

Dammit...unfortunately, all true stories end in death.

 

[BluePig]

So sad. I don't have words.
God speed brother.

 

[Usmccookie]

no words. Didn’t know him well but like it has been said and couldn’t be said enough, he was a good dude. R.I.P. prayers are out for you family especially lil tanker.

 

[Indyhd]

Another sad day here for Ingo, but so sad for his family. RIP Dustin. Great guys are hard to replace.

 

[Flingarrows]

So sad, praying for comfort for their families

 

[Hillbilly]

I never met BT, but I know he took on a mighty task around here keeping everyone on the straight and narrow.

RIP brother. I’ll keep your family in my prayers.