GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio tattoo community is mourning the loss of one of their own after Richard Cook, 45, lost his battle to cancer on March 1. Cook owned GreyStone Tattoo Company in Gahanna with his wife, Karli. There were some initial concerns about his shop remaining open. But h is fellow artists said he never quit on anybody, so they can't give up on his dreams. Cook had been battling multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, for years. But continued to tattoo when he could. Karli Cook said that was his driving force. He always wanted to get back to work as soon as he could. Coroner’s office art exhibit aims to break addiction stigma "He was an energy, a vibe, a just bigger than life presence," Karli Cook said. "The confidence he had was like no other." The couple's plans to buy a farm together and raise their kids and animals were all cut short.  "Talking about the future is hard because you're just talking about a daydream that's never going to happen," Karli Cook said. While Richard Cook's cancer prognosis didn't look good, that didn't stop his friends and family from holding on to hope. "No matter the odds, you still are like, 'no we got this.'," Karli Cook said. "We got time. All while you're watching them suffer and be so sad that they're leaving." Richard Cook's friends and family said he was the human equivalent of a warm hug. He was known for his jokes and fun nature. They said he leaves behind an unfillable hole. "Everybody that's ever met him walked away a better person from talking to him or hugging him," Richard's best friend and business partner Aaron Jordan said. According to Karli Cook, he saw the good in everyone. He was an animal lover, husband, friend, father and child at heart. "The whole world could disappear, and it wouldn't matter as long as he had us," Karli Cook said. Richard Cook wore many hats. On top of owning GreyStone Tattoo Company, he owned 'Take a Dump', a dumpster business, with Jordan. Both companies now have an even greater purpose. "Everything I do from this point on, if I don't do it with a little more intention, that would be disrespectful," Richard's friend Jamie Hickey said. Karli Cook said he's proof that you never know when you'll receive life-changing news. She encourages everyone to hold their loved ones tight and share the things that matter to you before it's too late. According to the Cook family, a celebration of life will be held for him at some point this summer. It will be open to the public.  ...read more read less