Give Kids The World
(See photos of this event)

Give Kids The World is a non-profit organization that provides a memorable six-day, all-expense-paid Central Florida vacation experience for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. It serves qualified children from around the world whose last wish is to see Mickey Mouse and visit the Walt Disney World Resort and other Central Florida area attractions.

• Visit Give Kids the World

• View photos of this event here.

First Person Account
by Alina Caruncho

I left Miami bound for LA and Thorsten Kaye at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, July 26th. I was so anxious to get the trip underway that I was up at the crack of dawn after having a very restless night. My flight, thank goodness, was as smooth as any flight I've ever been on. I arrived in LAX at 6:00 a.m., 20 minutes ahead of schedule, if you can believe that! I immediately hopped on a shuttle to take me to terminal 1 which is where a group of us had agreed to meet so we could head over to the Universal Hilton together. Next to arrive was none other than my roommate for the weekend, the incomparable Heidi the freak (HLiedberg). Heidi's flight arrived on time so it wasn't long before we were gabbing about what else, but our imminent meeting with the God, the MAHN, the love of our soap opera life, Thorsten Kaye. Next to arrive were Kathy (KABrand) and Christy (CLSmith666), whom I shamelessly admit I still can't tell apart unless they're standing side by side since one of them is a smidgen shorter than the other (I won't tell who's the shorty). Hugs & kisses and more TK worshipping took place before Karen (KARENSEV) found our little TK lovefest. Last but not least, Bernie (BRNPNY) finally made her entrance. Well, we were all finally together, happy as clams and made our way to another shuttle to get us to Dollar Rent-A-Car to pick up the shiny bright Red BMW convertible that Karen reserved for us to look very LAish (just kidding--it took a very conservative BIG Chrysler (thank god it wasn't the purple one) to accommodate all 6 of us plus our luggage). We had a wonderful adventure just trying to get out of the parking lot thanks to some inept employees but not even they could put a damper on our spirits of what was to come. We made it to the hotel in pretty good time thanks to Karen's driving skills and Heidi's sense of direction. After we settled into our respective rooms, we hightailed it over to Kathy/Christy's room to make plans. When we got there, I personally got a big kick of finally meeting the only person that is capable (proven fact) of writing the Patrick and Margaret love story, the woman who has given so many of us the reading thrills of our lives, our own Pamela Garrett (OwnWrite). Well, more favorite P&M moments shared between us, more talk of Thorsten for the rest of the day. It was time for either brunch, lunch, dinner (still haven't figured out which) so we headed towards the one and only restaurant in the hotel where we ate a little, drank a lot and were pretty merry. After dinner Heidi and me made our way to the Universal City grounds where we browsed the stores and had our first & only, non-TK celebrity sighting, Sinbad. After an aborted attempt at catching a movie (Air Force One) we ran back to the hotel where Heidi seeked refuge in our hotel room tending to a sick stomach while I made my way back to Kathy/Christy/Pamela's room to meet 2 more friends and TK aficionados, Rita (RCLisko) and Donna (DLKeeper). After yet some more Thorsten gushing, all of us made it back to the dining room for another meal. No we are not pigs, only Pamela, Rita and Donna ate since they did not consume any food the first time around. Some of us had a little dessert and some of us just went the Diet Coke route (I live on the stuff). During the meal, we looked at some pictures of TK at the Allentown softball game, discussed the possibility of renting a VCR to have an Inischcrag/Malone era special screening (which was vetoed because we'd probably cry all night from sadness of what could have been and worse yet, look all puffy and red for our eventual Thorsten day). At our table only 2 of us (Karen & me) had never had the pleasure of meeting Thorsten, so we were the proverbial TK Virgins of the group so to speak. After dinner, the evening ended for me because my internal clock was all out of whack thanks to the 3 hour time difference between LA and Miami. I got back to my room, plopped in my bed wondering how the hell I was going to manage to fall asleep knowing that in just a few hours I'd come face to face with the most gorgeous intoxicating man I was ever to meet (sorry, hubby--I tell it like it is <GRIN>). Sleep was not in the cards for me, tossing and turning all night, waking up at 5:00 a.m. more anxious and nervous than ever. I somehow managed to kill off a couple of hours when Rita (bless her heart) called me to say they were going down to breakfast. By that time, a totally recovered Heidi was ready to go so we made it back down and joined the group. Even though I wasn't very hungry, I forced down some eggs, a bagel and my usual Diet Coke because I knew that I would not be able to eat a damn thing at the luncheon. After breakfast, Rita, Donna, Heidi, Bernie and me walked back to Universal City to buy some last minute momentos we would give to Thorsten. At 11:30 a.m. we all headed back to our rooms to primp and get all gussied up for our TK encounter. After finishing the job of making ourselves look as presentable as possible, we assembled in the lounge area right besides the room reserved for the luncheon. We all had a few drinks, I had two just to loosen up and try to relax. My biggest fear was that I'd be to petrified and too tongue tied to have any rational thoughts roll off my tongue in Thorsten's presence. Well, the time was drawing near so we gathered our belongings, drinks, gifts and moseyed on into the luncheon room. We had our own TK Web table reserved for us, as close to Thorsten as logistically possible. At the table we were joined by 2 more members of the "Lovers of OLTL's Patrick", BJSAndiego and Cheryl. Now, FINALLY, the moment we had all been waiting for:

THE ENTRANCE

At 1:00 p.m. sharp, there HE was, THORSTEN KAYE, live and in color. WOWEE KAZOWEE!!!!!! This is no mere Mortal. This Mahn doesn't just walk into a room, he powerfully strides in and lights up the place. He OWNS it. What a presence, what a glow, what an aura!!! To this TK Virgin, Thorsten looked more gorgeous, more handsome than I ever dreamed he could possibly be. He looked younger, slimmer, more fit, taller and carrying a suntan that made him look more glorious than any human being has the right to be. He was perfectly groomed, every luscious curl in place, loop glistening, clean shaven, a smile that can and does warm up any room. He wore a faded pair of blue jeans, a long sleeve grayish sweater, brown Patrick-like shoes. There is no other word that describes him more fittingly than "PERFECT" and even that doesn't seem to do him justice. Yes, I was sighing, gasping for air at the sight of him. It's a moment I will never ever forget; I'd rather die than forget it. It was that powerful. He made his way to the front of the room, taking time to shake some hands, smiling at everyone who's eyes he made contact with. Have I mentioned what a GORGEOUS SMILE he has, because it's the most magnificent smile I've ever seen. [Breathe Alina, was my mantra of the day]. He finally made his way up to the front of the room, when Bernie (smart as a whip) offered him a Beck's Beer in a Harley Davidson holder which he gladly accepted and rewarded her with a nice big hug (I'm thinking--why didn't I think of it; that could have been me, dammit!). Anyway, someone managed to get his attention at the table next to us and he graciously posed for a picture. Since he was oh so close, I locked eyes with him and as he approached me, I told him in my most innocent voice, "Thorsten, can I please have a picture with you, I've come a long way for this?" to which he responded, "Of course, that's what I'm here for". SIGH!!!! He stood next to me, put his arm around me and squeezed (yes, he was squeezing me) to which I immediately responded by putting my left arm around the back of his waisr. While we stood there and my friends scrambled for their cameras, I told them "Take your time ladies--No rush here" to which he laughed. Okaye, after I unleashed him (lol) and he said his hellos to everyone at our table, he made his way up to the stage where he was to sit, beer in hand. He spoke a few words and then asked us to tell him where we were all from. After a few responses, I thought it was my opportunity to tell him I was from Miami, the home of his favorite Miami Dolphins. He told me they (Dolphins) hadn't had a very good night the evening before and I told him I hadn't seen the game since I had been in LA.

Anyway, next up was the raffle. He raffled pictures and autographed scripts and each winner was personaly presented with the item by him with a bonus hug, kiss and picture. I think after the raffle (the order of events is blurry--no doubt because I was totaly intoxicated by him), he told everyone to have lunch and he would come visit each table to talk one on one. Another light goes on in my brain. Somehow I had to figure out how to get an empty seat right besides me. As much as I want to believe I outsmarted everyone at my table, I think all the wonderful ladies at the table took pity on me and allowed me the honor of having TK sit next to me. So, I strategically placed the empty chair TK was to take to my right. He would be sandwiched between me and BJSandiego. Well lo and behold, it worked. There I was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Thorsten totally in awe of his every feature, his every word, the lilt in his voice. Amazing, simply Amazing! I think I was so overpowered by his presence that for the life of me I cannot remember a word he said. I could kick myself. One thing I do remember him saying is that he finally ventured into the WEB page (to which he got a rousing round of applause), with the aid of his best friend, Lawrence Welk's grandson, but after that -- I'm a total blank.

After spending some time at each table, he went back up to the stage where the auction began. There were tons of TK items to be auctioned and if I had been a wealthy woman, I would have bid and won everything all for the sake of TK's favorite charity. Oh, who am I kidding!! I had ulterior motives, mainly receiving another hug and kiss from this Mahn. Unfortunately for me, I am not only NOT wealthy but if pressed for details I would have to say I lean more towards the financially handicapped bracket. Before I could blink, the items being auctioned off had gone into three/four figure numbers. OUCH! The expression on his face at the amount of $$$ being bid was priceless. He had this "I can't believe all these people would spend so much money just to have a picture of me" look. He has absolutely no idea what kind of an impact he's had on all our lives, which is refreshing to say the least.

Items being auctioned off were pictures of TK, one mouse pad with his face emblazoned on it, a few TK calendars, five hardback copies of Patrick's Notebook, and two pillow cases printed with his picture on them and the words "I wake up every day with Thorsten Kaye." He was very cute when he auctioned off the pillow cases. As he watched people bidding like mad, upping the price, he kissed the corner of the pillow case which of course sent the bidders into a frenzy. I think some people were so dazed that they ended up bidding against themselves (lol).

The two big prizes were a studio tour which went for $1,500, and his first denim, Harley riding jacket, which was bought at a measly $700 by Heidi (Heidi, have you taken if off yet and have you sucked up all the scent of him out of it yet?). Well no matter how financially deficient I am, there was no way in hell I wasn't going to get into it. I bid and won (thank you everyone for not hiking the price up) a framed picture of a smiling TK for what was pocket change ($60) compared to what everything else went for. As an example of the outrageous amounts being thrown around, the mouse pad went for over $200. Hey, but I was happy! $60 is a small price to pay to feel his lips on my cheek and his arm wrapped around me one more time <VBG>.

After the auction, he took a seat at the table on stage to sign autographs and pose for more pictures. The Mahn was so gracious and generous with his time. He signed everything given to him, posed for every picture asked of him. I think we should consider ourselves very lucky to be fans of such a wonderful down to earth talent. When my turn for his autograph came, I sat besides him at the table. When I gave him his gift, I told him I had no idea what to get him to which he responded I didn't need to give him anything that our presence there was more than enough. I told him I knew I didn't have to but I wanted to as a thank you for all the wonderful moments he's given me. He seemed pleased and grateful. When I handed him the gift bag, he asked if it was OKAYE to open it which I of course said surely. I also gave him a Dolphin's home schedule (hoping to lure him to Miami early and often) mentioning to him that I was a season ticket holder and never miss a home game. He told me he is attending the home opener on August 31st and will be sitting in one of the sky boxes. Now I ask, does anyone have a high-powered, zoom, heavy duty, pair of binoculars I could borrow? After the chat, I had another pic snapped with him and got up and went around when I heard him say, "Alina, wait (he remembered my name), you didn't get a picture!" Is this Mahn wonderful or what?

Next up, Thorsten was presented with a farewell gift (boohoo) from all of us in attendance, a 4-foot stuffed Sylvester to which he said "Holy shit!" when he saw it (lol). He was given a card along with Sylvester which better have my name in it since I was one of the saps that sent my check for $10 to have my name included. After this, he came back to our table and sat in between Heidi and Rita and we had a nice long chat about the show, the destruction of Patrick at the hands of Mad Max and her cronies, Irish peace, his feelings about the terrorist past given to Patrick, his desire to do some classroom scenes showing Patrick working at his craft and TPTB's refusal to emphasize this side of Patrick, his plans after the show and a few other tidbits (some very funny) that shall remain between the lucky ladies sitting at the Web site table; our own little secret (eat your hearts out!). As an aside to the comment about the classroom/poetry scenes, when Heidi gave him his gift which included the poem "Romance", he was asked to recite it. Unfortunately, with a sullen look in his face, he said he could not because it would make him too sad! Aren't we all! He mentioned he was up for the lead in the Fox series ROAR but had to turn it down because of his obligations to OLTL. Not sure though if the part was offered to him and rejected or if he turned down the opportunity to audition for it because of his commitment to the show. He also mentioned the role of Tarzan which went to some French guy. Be still my heart, TK in a loin cloth swinging from trees. I don't think my heart could have taken that. Sadly he said that he's been working about a day a week and that if TPTB wanted to, they could wrap up their (P&M) story within 2 days. That was indeed sad to hear, not to mention frustrating as hell. I asked him if his decision to leave was a done deal and he said most definitely. I also asked if Susan was leaving as well to which he responded a big fat yes. I may be selfish, but if Thorsten leaves I would not want Susan to stay. To me there is no Patrick w/o Margaret, no Margaret w/o Patrick, and certainly no P&M without Thorsten and Susan. They go hand in hand -- I'm grateful they feel the same way! As to the conclusion of their story, he said he was not at liberty to divulge it. He did however say he did not like how it is to play out. I shudder to think what TPTB have in store for them and us.

I'm beginning to think more and more (and this is my feeling and nothing he said) that the rumors about P&M going into hiding from the Men of 21 is true. I think this scenario would not please Thorsten because it would mean more of the terrorist story coming into play. As far as Susan, her name never came up except when I asked if she was leaving. I think everyone there was smart enough to know not to ask him any personal questions. I did overhear (strictly by accident) a lady at the next table telling him how beautiful she thought Susan was and he answered, with a gleam in his eyes, "She is cute, isn't she?"

Well, the afternoon of my lifetime was drawing to a close. It was 2-1/2 hours past the 3:00 p.m. scheduled end to the luncheon. Thorsten had to give an interview so rather than sit there looking pitiful and desperate for his attention as I suppose we were, we decided to say goodbye and leave as gracefully as possible. We ended up in the lounge, sharing our experiences of the day, again singing the praises of Thorsten, and comforting each other for what we expect to be TK's last personal appearance before he departs for the unknown. Now that it's over, I have truly mixed emotions. Ecstatic for the time spent with such an amazing, engaging talented actor and magnificent person -- devastated at the thought that in just a couple of months, Thorsten will stop regularly gracing our screens and lives for who knows how long. It's been a wild ride, full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but its one ride I don't intend to get off of until there is Patrick and Margaret no more. TPTB should be run out of town in shame for letting the most remarkable actor, the most remarkable charismatic couple, slip through their fingers out of pure stupidity. What incredible horses' asses they all are.

After commiserating, sharing, laughing, bonding I had to say so long to the wonderful friends that shared my TK experience with me. Friends originally united by our common love for Patrick Thornhart and Thorsten Kaye, friends long after Thorsten makes his final exit from the studios at 56 W. 66th Street.

Donna and I began our adventure on Thursday, July 24, when Donna arrived in NYC to stay with me. We went to dinner, then to an Irish bar for, what else? Irish beer! We got home very late, and still couldn't sleep, we were so excited about our trip to LA, so we watched old OLTL episodes. The next morning, the alarm went off, and we struggled out of bed to get ready for our trip. Several hours later, we found ourselves in the place TK calls home. Donna suffered from culture shock (LA is a long way from Maine!) We saw the sights, including the beaches, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. But the best was still to come. Saturday evening, we got together with the other "LOOPers" and spent the time talking about our favorite subject (guess who?) as well as many other things. It was great to finally meet people we had only known in cyberspace. The next day, some of us went to Universal City, where Heidi found us some Celtic jewelry. Several of us purchased "Brigid's Shield" which came with the following explanation:

"Ancient protectoress of horses, poets and dreamers. Brigid presided over the hearth and taught her skills to metal smiths, bards, and healers. The Brigid's Shield center stone represents the sacred fires of Brigid, which still burn brightly in Kildare. The six interlaced stones symbolize the fires kindled by Brigid in hearts of Celts."

How appropriate! We decided to wear our necklaces to the luncheon, then hurried back to the hotel to primp and preen. After an hour or so of combing, dressing, perfuming and painting our faces, we were ready to meet the Mahn. We gathered at the bar downstairs until the appointed hour, then made our way to the room set up for the event. There were balloons everywhere, and a table set up with lots of TKphernalia, such as HARD COVER Patrick's Notebooks, pillowcases with TK's picture and the words "I wake up every morning with Thorsten Kaye," a mouse pad with TK's picture on it, and much, much more. We bought lots of raffle tickets, and hoped we'd be the lucky ones. The Website had its own reserved table, and the 11 of us waited excitedly for TK's arrival. Suddenly, he appeared in the doorway, looking very blonde, (California sun-bleached) and we began to applaud. He looked a bit disoriented at first, but as he walked into the room and began to recognize faces, TK smiled his beautiful smile, and waved to everyone. He stopped by the prize table, and was amazed at the array of items. He also noted the hard cover books, and asked Diane where she'd gotten them. He had no idea the book came in hard cover! Then, he stopped by our table, and told us he'd visited the Website with the help of his friend Larry Welk (Lawrence Welk's grandson.) We all cheered and applauded, and he looked a bit sheepish. He said he was amazed at the kind of information one could glean from the internet (some of it X-rated, of course!) Then he began to make his way to the dais, but Bernie approached him with a large bottle of ice-cold Beck's. TK's face lit up, and he said, "BEER!" He hugged Bernie and gave her a kiss, then asked if anyone had a bottle opener. Bernie went to the bar to get it, while TK went to the dais. She returned with the opener, and TK opened his beer.

TK sat down, and said, "What shall we do first?" Then Ray August suggested we tell TK our names and where we were from. The intorductions went around the room.. TK noticed the lone man in the room (aside from Ray August) and said, "Someone dragged you here, right?" Then he said, "Well, there's food and..." He asked the bartenders if there was beer, and getting an affirmative, said to the young man, "There's beer!" When someone said she was from Utah, TK said, "Oh, a right-to-work state." She asked if he had a problem with that, and he said "No," then looked aside and said, "I'll never understand the laws in this country!" Being a labor lawyer, I understood what he meant; in Europe, everyone who works belongs to a Union, there's no such thing as "right-to-work" laws. I was impressed that he even knew what a right-to-work state is! When he got to our table, he greeted the familiar faces, and then told Donna and me that he had read our letters. It was quite a thrill for us, as he also told the group he doesn't read his fan mail anymore, because some of it is less than complimentary, and it's painful to be criticized for things he has no control over, like the words he has to say, and the scenes he has to play. I told him to look at the return addresses, and if the letters were from any of us, I assured him they would not be upsetting to him.

Although there was a bountiful buffet, most of us were too excited to eat; Thorsten said he wasn't hungry either. He kept urging everyone to eat, but at the end of the day, there was still plenty of food left. TK was obviously uncomfortable on the dais, and first asked us to move in closer, which really wasn't possible, because of the way the tables were grouped. So, he came to us! He visited each table. While we waited for him at our table, Donna began a "round robin" having each of us recite a poem from Patrick's Notebook. Finally, it was our turn, and TK sat in a conveniently placed chair beside Alina and BJ, who were meeting him for the first time. He talked about the show, and said that lots of actors complain about the script, and then named one in particular, who is not on OLTL. He said, "He complains about the script when there are too many syllables in the words!" We roared appreciatively, of course! I asked him about the classroom scene, when Patrick taught his class about Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I asked him if the words he said were written, or ad-libbed, as I had suspected. He said, "You don't think THEY wrote that, do you?" I said, "No, I figured you were just teaching your class!" He told me I was right, and I was pleased to know that my instincts were correct--TK is a WONDERFUL teacher! He said he may teach for a while, depending on what happens next. Hmmm, I think I will go back to school, AGAIN!

Heidi gave him one of her gifts, which was a plaque with a poem, and an explanation of the names "Patrick" and "Margaret." Heidi had had each of us sign the back, so now TK will have all our names to look for when he goes through his fan mail! He said he couldn't read the poem aloud today, because he would get too emotional. I asked TK if there was anything we could do to save the P&M story at this point, and he said, "No, it's done, it's finished." He mentioned his "Friend, Maxine" and we all yelled, "Mad Max!" He is obviously not very happy with her, and we all agreed with his opinion.

Then it was time for the raffle and auction, and Diane took TK away for a while. TK told us about the charity, that it was started by a Holocaust survivor, and there's a little village outside Disney World, in Florida, where kids and their families can go, free of charge, and "The kids get their wish to see the Mouse before they go on to... a better place." I still get choked up when I hear TK's voice saying those words. He urged everyone to bid, even for what he referred to as the "silly" stuff, (items with his picture on them) because it was for a good cause. And we did! (Ray told me later they had raised about $4,000 for the charity. I asked if that was before expenses, but he said, "No, that's all going directly to the charity." In fact, those who won the bids were told to write their checks to "Give Kids The World.") When the mouse pad with TK's picture on it was auctioned off, TK held it in his hands, and it was obvious he didn't have a clue what it was for! The Website table tried to explain it to him, but he still looked clueless! When one of the pillow cases went up for bid, he held it to his lips, as if he were kissing it, and the bidding became frenzied! Karen was the big winner at our table, and TK hand-delivered each item with a hug and a kiss! I think Karen bid on those items just so she could get the hugs and kisses! (Way to go, Karen!) After Karen won the third item for the day, TK went over to her, sat beside her, and said, "What do you do for a living? We have to talk." The Website table donated three T-shirts with three different TK photos on them. The photos were taken by our own Donna and autographed by TK at the softball game in Allentown. The inscription read, "Give Kids The World" over TK's signature. The T-shirts made about $300!!! TK told us about the OLTL tour that was to be auctioned. He explained that ABC now frowns upon having visitors to the set, because it supposedly distracts the actors. He said this would not be an official tour, but it would be his own personal tour (He said, "What can they do? Fire me?") The tour went for $1500! The final item on the block was to be a pair of TK's jeans, but, TK said, "Those of you who watch the show know that I only own two pairs of jeans, so if I brought one here, I would cut my supply in half." Instead, he brought his first motorcycle jacket, a well-worn denim jacket with a Harley Davidson patch on the sleeve, which he told us, "My mom sewed this on for me when I got my first Harley." Everyone ahhhed, and the bidding began at $500! Our own Heidi won it for $700, and, except for when TK autographed it and she later let each of us try it on, she didn't take it off for the rest of the day! (I suspect she even wears it to bed!)

After the auction, TK sat at the dais to sign autographs and have more photos taken. There were so many flashes going off throughout the day (not to mention the bright lights the videographer was using!) that TK said, "I'm going blind!" and later, "Those lights get hotter and hotter!" As usual, he was a trouper, and stayed until every last item had been signed, and every last photo was taken. Then, he took a bathroom break, and we promised no one would follow him. When he returned, he sat at the Website table, and we had a good long visit! The event was scheduled to go from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.; fortunately, Ray and Diane reserved the room until 5:00, but TK actually left at about 5:30! As he sat at our table, he told us that when he accepted the role of Patrick, he had made it very clear that he did not want to talk about the Irish peace. He explained that he had a vivid recollection of a time when he was growing up in England, and a British military band was blown to bits on a stage, "just because they were in the military!" He said it has become painful for him to get up and go to work in the morning. It was then that Karen and I resolved that, no matter what, Mad Max has to go! I told Thorsten Karen and I had come up with a new campaign, and would get everyone to write to Eisner to "Axe Max!" The Agitator LOOP will ride again!

TK said he was looking in several directions for a job, and he was looking for a place to live in the LA area. He may do some voice-overs for Disney animation, and he would like to do a play in NYC, but, he said, "All the good ones are coming from England, and the musicals...well, you can understand why they don't want me." Several people protested that he had a good voice, but he disagreed, and said he did not want to sing, he told "them" he didn't want to sing, but they made him sing anyway. He said, "They built a whole classroom set for me, and how many times have you seen me in it?" It was obvious that's what TK wanted for Patrick, to teach poetry and instill an appreciation for the classics. He said soaps are supposed to be about people loving one another, not terrorists. He said he told ABC, "Now you're going to have to examine every package that comes into the studio!" There were several times when his voice was so emotional, it was obvious how strongly he felt about the destruction of Patrick. Pamela said Mel had become the Greek chorus of Llanview, and TK said, "No, Patrick has become the Greek chorus. All he does is add commentary on what's happening around him." He said for what they have planned, he could finish taping in two days, and he begged them to let him go, but they had refused. ( He even missed out on "Roar" because of his contract with ABC.) He said he'd only been working one day a week, and that's why he'd been able to be in LA for several days.

Just before he left our table, he told us he would be cutting his hair short. Several of us said, "No, don't do it!" He leaned down, and said, "Don't tell me it was just the hair!" I said, "No, but I like it long." He insisted it's all going to go soon. When it was time for TK to do an interview, as he said good-bye, he gave us a growl! And what had otherwise been a group of intelligent, well-spoken, strong, competent women turned into a mass of jelly! As difficult as it was to do, most of us obeyed his wishes when he said, "Go home now, ladies." Well, we didn't exactly go home. We went to the bar and had drinks, and, when TK left about 1/2 hour later, he walked by us, we applauded, and we bid each other goodbye. There never was a happier - yet sadder - group!

Thorsten Kaye's July 27 luncheon to raise money for Give Kids The World, Inc., arranged by Soaps On A Rope (SOAR), drew TK fans from all around the country. It was a classy event held at the Universal City Hilton in LA where TK's most dedicated fans had the chance to spend the afternoon with him at one of his final public appearances. In that respect, it was a bittersweet occasion for those of us who can't imagine OLTL without him and will stop watching the instant he is gone now that we know what soaps could be. But it was an appropriate way for Thorsten to say goodbye...I've been fortunate enough to have met him many times previously, and this was the most enjoyable event I've ever attended.

One of the things that made it so much fun was being with so many other TK fans I've gotten to know and become friends with over the past year and a half. Most of us at the TK Web Page table - Pamela, Kathy, Bernie, Rita, Donna, Heidi and me - had met TK before, but it was the first time for Karen, BJ, Alina, and Cheryl. We were all in our seats watching the door as Thorsten arrived, right on time. As usual, his presence seemed to fill the room as he said hello to the crowd and walked up to the dais. As compelling as TK appears on the TV screen, in person he's even more impressive. He was wearing faded jeans and a gray ribbed henley shirt and looked tan and relaxed, greeting the crowd with ease. Then he looked towards our table, saw Kathy and gave her a little smile and wave.

Ray and Diane of SOAR invited each fan to introduce herself and say where she was from, mercifully ditching the tired old Q&A session routine. When it was our turn, after a few ladies spoke up (he loved Alina's Miami Dolphins connection and remembered Rita and Donna), TK noticed Kathy, Pamela and me on the other side of the table and before we could speak up he said "And of course I know Pamela and where she is from, and Kathy and Christy." (Who doesn't love hearing TK say her name...he told Kathy later that he had always thought that her name should start with a "C"; and mine should start with a "K" - and here I was feeling left out because I don't have a "K" name!) We were thrilled that TK acknowledged us, and even more thrilled when he came over to the web page table to greet us personally.

After TK hugged and kissed us, he said that he had looked at his web page the day before on the computer of the friend he was staying with. That certainly was music to my ears. TK also had a few comments about some of the other things you can find on the 'net <G>. After he posed for some photos with us and chatted a bit with everyone at our table, he said he would be back after he visited the other tables. There was a Chinese food buffet for lunch, but who could eat, not with TK sitting at every table in turn and giving everyone a chance to chat with him! He wasn't interested in the food either (he was still working on the Beck's beer Bernie presented to him when he arrived) and when he came back to our table we all just sat and talked. He has a way of making you feel as if you are the only person in the room when you're talking with him. During this visit Heidi gave him her gift, and he told her he'd come back and get it later. She generously invited us all to sign the back of it.

Then it was time for TK to raffle and auction off prizes - there were different items such as photos, books, mouse pad, pillowcases, calendars, studio tour, an old denim jacket of TK's (a story in itself, won by Heidi) etc., and Rita contributed three sample web page T-shirts that raised several hundred dollars. TK personally delivered her prize to each lucky winner, along with hugs and kisses. I hadn't really been planning on bidding on anything but when I saw the treatment Bernie got when she made the winning bid on a pillowcase, I knew I had to have the other one, and I got it for (yikes) $125. TK seemed surprised that the bidding went so high, announced that $125 was enough, and brought it over to me. That was money well spent - he draped it around me, hugged and kissed me...little did he know I would gladly have paid twice as much! Later, TK signed it with a line from Hamlet, "And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest" and that is one pillowcase that no cat hair will ever touch. (Karen won so much stuff that I have more photos of TK kissing and hugging her than anybody. That was the real prize, of course!)

Then came the autograph session...at this point, I think I've lost count of how many of those lines I've gone through. But I figured this would probably be the last one for me so I decided to go for broke and bring everything I wanted TK to sign, even if it looked like everything I owned! I knew he would be as gracious about it as he was (I made sure there wasn't a limit, though). As I sat with TK behind the table and he signed everything for me while we talked, about the web page and other things...sigh...the time went by much too fast. Before I left the table, I was overwhelmed by the most exuberant hug and kiss from TK that I've ever received - and felt somewhat like floating on air and crying my eyes out at the same time.

After the autograph portion was over, TK returned to the web page table. He settled down with us and invited everyone else in the room to pull up a chair. Then he proceeded to give everyone a chance to talk with him and it was a golden opportunity to discuss the show, his interests, his future plans, etc., etc. It was an honor that he was so honest and emotional with us. I just wish the news about the show were better; TK said that we weren't going to like it (well, that was certainly no surprise). But it's no secret how he feels about the show and he made no bones about being out of there the instant he could. The luncheon was being videotaped, and TK was taped saying goodbye to everyone while he was sitting with us. It was so sad to see him waving goodbye.

A reporter from a soap mag had been sitting silently through the entire luncheon waiting to interview TK, and I don't know what she made of the luncheon; we would have been happy if it could have gone on forever, even though the time we had was perfect. In fact, as it was, TK stayed over 2-1/2 hours past the time the luncheon was supposed to end, even though he was househunting in LA and I'm sure he had plenty of other things to do. Frankly, the only thing left to do after this was to hit the bar, which we did with alacrity. He stopped on his way out and we all said goodbye again, and the room suddenly seemed empty.

I didn't think that I could admire this man any more than I already did, but at this appearance he proved all over again what an engaging, warm, empathetic, humorous, for real person he is, in addition to being the most talented and intriguing actor I've ever seen on a soap, or anywhere else for that matter. And, never have I seen an actor give so much of himself to his fans, not only on the screen but on a personal level. When I first saw him on OLTL almost 2 years ago, I never dreamed what incredible experiences it would lead to.

After the experiences we'd shared, we dreaded saying goodbye to our friends as our respective departure times came. Kathy and I were both on leave from our jobs and went home with Pamela to spend the rest of the week with her, and we all had a wonderful evening with Cheryl while we were in Northern California. We did have one more TK-related experience before we went back home to the real world, though. One night we went to Isernia for dinner where we closed the place, and in addition to the fabulous food (I got that incredible sliced pear pizza I was sorry I hadn't gotten the last time!) we were made to feel right at home by Arion Alston, TK's friend who owns the restaurant with his brother, and who's as good a hugger as TK (well, almost <G>).

It was the vacation of a lifetime, and I wish I could do it all over again! 

To Eloise and for all the Website folks who attended the Los Angeles event. Wanted to post before catching some sleep - have been up since yesterday A.M. - hope all of you got home safely! We wanted to thank you all for coming out to the event - we had a wonderful time and in the process everyone's contributions raised $4,000 for GIVE KIDS THE WORLD. I will e-mail everyone about the video details when I get back on-line tonite.......TO TK.....Thank you again from our hearts! See you soon.