Something that my cousin who is also a huge Rush fan posted:
DD's Cousin said:
I know that Neil was very private, but now Geddy and Alex's interviews from the last few years make sense to me. They knew he wasn't going to recover, but they couldn't just come right out and say that the reason there would be no RUSH reunion was because Neil was dying.
He's right. I know Neil is not someone I ever met, and I never met the other guys, but Rush's music quite literally shaped how I view and appreciate music. They were there for me when I wanted to shut out the world, when I wanted to increase my ability in an instrument, or when I just wanted to jam to great music. I considered them friends, and I'm so glad I was able to go to as many Rush shows as I did, and I'm so very glad I got to see their farewell tour a few years ago.