The NHA Story

The Story Behind this Site

In mid to late 1999

Nerf-Herders Anonymous started out as a catch-all of Star Wars information at fan.starwars.com. It housed little bits of info on many Star Wars subjects, too many to be unique. In 2000 I utilized Thargola's Sword and sliced the excess. I filled two niches missing, or poorly organized, elsewhere on the net: Star Wars references (I originally thought this section would be full but not bulging and overflowing as it is presently) and a Star Wars actors database (I wanted to show fellow fans that each one of the people who worked on the films, TV shows, radio shows and the games had a life beyond the saga, I was hoping to broaden some horizons). By late fall of 2001 Lucasfilm sent out letters via email that the free fan.starwars.com fan blogs were set to be cut forever.

A little disappointment followed the announcement and I was on the fence for a short while deciding what to do. I opted to start again using the info I'd started to collect as my base. The site was going to be better and more thorough, even if I had no time to do it.

Up until May of 2002, life went as predicted, busy. Life, work, more work and other personal projects. I did not have time to transfer my site from fan.starwars.com to one of Lucasfilm's suggested host sites.

Then... in mid-May of 2002, the week after returning from Star Wars Celebration II in Indianapolis, IN, I learned that I was with child AND that I had a tumor. I was classified with an extremely high-risk pregnancy, to save my child's life I had to remain in bed and not move.

Subsequently, not able to work or move, I had to bide my time with books, radio, TV and movies. I gathered reference after reference and piles of actor information, until I could no longer function without being monitored and was admitted to the hospital. Nearly a month later my son arrived (six weeks early and a grueling two weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for him.) My son came through with flying colors but I had a long road of recovery (my muscles had atrophied, I was very weak, and I still had the tumor) More gathering took place as I took care of my son and recovered.

Several months passed, the new year came and went and I gained back most of my strength. I was now able to take care of my son and my life without help. I got the domain name, pulled the info together and got an incredible head start on this massive project ...then... another surgery loomed (the tumor had to be removed, all 15 lbs of it - a record here in the Valley) and another period of recovery. Even more gathering.

As I recovered the site began to take shape. Becoming what is now the largest source of Star Wars references and the only Star Wars Actors Database in the world. It was faith, family, and this project that got me through the long months of 2002 and I am truly thankful for the relief it allowed me...keeping my thoughts off the possibility of losing the most precious thing in the universe to me (my son), off the pain, sickness, and exhaustion...and off what was ahead...the unknown. In the end it all turned out splendidly...my son, my health, resuming my life...and this site.

Nerf-Herders Anonymous would not have existed without the unusual circumstances from 2002 - 2004.

I'm pleased to present and share Nerf-Herders Anonymous with you, my fellow Star Wars fans. It's been fun, I've met great people along the way, have had an incredible outpouring of praise, support and contribution from all parts of the world.

Thank you all for your support and help!

NERF-HERDERS ANONYMOUS

Enjoy!