Erik, we have never met but I have long admired your work. I am so terribly sorry to hear this. It is incredibly cruel, at such a comparatively young age. I hope your final weeks are as pain free as possible and that you can be surrounded by those you love. You will leave a lasting intellectual legacy, for which so many of us are grateful.

Dear Prof Erik,
I am an admirer of your writing and thoughts. I am from Indonesia & a PhD candidate at Seoul National University in Social Dentistry major. As our knowledge, my article is the first study about neomarxian social class related oral health. It is an honour if it can contribute to your future writing even just for a bit. I hope Allah (God ) will give you more opportunity to contribute to the world. Aameen.
Best Regards,
Herry Novrinda

Best wishes to you and your family, Erik. Know that you've influenced and enriched the lives of many others.

Dear Erik:

I am saddened to learn that your health has taken such a turn, and I wish to share this with you. My experience as a student in your graduate seminars was formative: you taught me what it means to be a caring and careful graduate instructor. There isn't a day I am teaching a seminar that I don't think about your skills in a classroom and your boundless energy that I try hard to (only, alas) approximate. Thank you for that. My favorite memory, however, is outside the classroom, playing banjo to your fiddle at Commie Camp. Thank you for these inspirations.

Jon

Dear Erik:

I am very sorry to hear this news. Your work was an inspiration for me—a Chilean sociologist interested in class structure and consciousness in Latin America. Your book “Classes” taught me that that it is possible to be a Marxist and be honestly interested in rigorous, “conventional” empirical research. This, of course, was illuminating to me as it contradicted what many sociologists used to think. We met and chat a couple of times—one at ASA and other academic instances, and the last one in Buenos Aires in 2015, when Rodolfo Elbert invited me to attend your workshops and lectures at Universidad de Buenos Aires. This last time I traveled from Chile, and even the informal talks with you were an incredibly exiting intellectual experience.
Thank you for all you have done. My thoughts are with you and your family. All the best.

Oh, Professor, I'm so sorry to hear this news. I heard you speak in Taiwan at Academia Sinica about five years ago on real utopias and found myself in tears at the hope the talk inspired. You just hugged me. You are a one of a kind human being that I've never forgotten. Thank you for all you have done. Wring as much joy out of your remaining time as you can. Love always.

Profesor Wright,
As an undergraduate student in Chile in the 1990s, I learned it was posible to study social classes from a Marxist perspective reading your books with pasion. My best wishes to you.

Dear Erik,

I have such a vivid memory of the day that I met you. You were in the audience, in 2004, at our ASA session on the gendered effects of family leave policies. I was “debating” Barbara Bergmann, with Nancy Folbre and Paula England moderating. You were in the room, madly taking notes. I knew your work but not your face. I whispered to Nancy: “*Who* is that man, with the great hair, enthusiastically writing notes?” She said: “That’s Erik Wright!” I think I said: “…Wow! Erik Wright!”

After the session, you bounded up to me with your electric smile and said: “Do you know what the Real Utopias Project is? I want to do a volume on this topic!” As I’ve told countless colleagues and students, collaborating with you on our “Gender Equality” RUP volume was one of the highlights of my life. You designed and provided a setting, for all involved, that was nearly perfect for exchanging ideas and learning. And, we had fun. I will cherish that book forever, as it embodies you in so many ways.

However many days you have left – be that few or many – I wish you peace, and light, and comfort.

I send love to you and Marcia,
Janet

Oh Erik, I wish I could be near you at this time. Hug you and tell you (again) about how much you taught me about LIFE. I just hope doctors are wrong and you can turn this into one of the beautiful stories you tell in conferences. And I will be next to you translating for the Argentine public, making sure everyone gets both the joke, the life lesson and the sociological implication of your stories.

Dear Erik,
I am so sad to hear this news. The last time I checked in several weeks ago post transplant things seemed to be going well and I was looking forward to having you back on the P&S board. I have so enjoyed working with you and learning from you and arguing with you over the past many years. You have been so brave through your illness. love, Molly