WICHITA, Kansas, Feb. 26, 2007 - "As a person, Kirk wasn't a hero and would be pissed at any effort to spin it as such," Barney Byard, friend, said.

Instead, his loved ones describe Kirk Rundstrom as a warrior.

"Kirk was the first to tell others not to do as he had done," Byard said. "He battled with addiction, anger, self indulgence and self-destructive behavior and hurt many of people he loved."

Turns out Kirk wrote his own happy ending.

"They spoke of redemption," Kim Rupp, friend, said. "He reconciled relationships before my very eyes. He did that with his father, his children and Lisa."

While he battled cancer, Kirk reclaimed his personal life and capped off his professional life with a final, just-released CD that some say is his best work.

His "Split Lip Rayfield" band members say he'd probably say it was his best work too.

"One thing I loved about him was he had this endearing and contagious self love," a band member said. On stage and to all the fans he was larger than life. He loved the hometown crowd and the sound of Kansans in a place like this. So as I exit, for Kirk if you could give us a thunderous applause."