Read Michele’s Farewell Letter to Rik [PHOTOS]

How do you say goodbye to your morning show partner -- one of your best friends?

My way of dealing with losing him is by writing a letter. Here it is ...

Dear Rik (aka Batman):

You walked into my life almost 20 years as the new program director on 107.3 KFFM. It was a couple of crazy years together and at times you were dealing with actual crazies. You hurt my feelings when you fibbed to me about moving me to mornings on KFFM if the slot opened up, but I learned a valuable lesson.

You moved on to bigger and better things while I was stuck in Yakima with the boss from HELL! I soon decided that it was time to focus all my attention on my family and stepped out of the radio limelight. That didn't stop us from remaining friends.

You surprised me by showing up at my 30 birthday party. Something waaaay outside your comfort zone. It kinda makes up for not attending my wedding.

When I finally stepped back into radio part time, working for another radio station, you made the move to steal me after a couple of years doing mornings with another guy. It was decided that you, me and the former mayor of Yakima would try a threesome morning show. So the three of us started a little morning show together. It soon turned into just you and I when the former mayor ran for election and due to equal time was pulled off the air for eight months. That's when you and I started to gel. He lost his election bid and returned to our show. Soon, after he landed a big-boy job and left us. We didn't miss a beat together.

You managed to talk me into getting into a crane and hanging 200 feet when I'm terrified of heights, all to raise money and food for some great charities. I returned the favor by making you and our former cohost live with me in a car for three days straight -- to once again raise money for those charities.

We attended Watershed together, dressed up as the Band Perry for Halloween. We won first place in the Grocery Outlet Turkey Bowl. We wrote each other's eulogies. I tired to sell you. We competed in Northwest Harvest pumpkin carving contest. I talked you into working out with me. Helped each other bury bodies in our backyards.

I'll miss the Rik Rants. The bad advice you give me. The useless amounts of Rikipedia knowledge. I'll miss my nerd updates on the latest superhero movie. I'll miss hearing every detail about Richard Page's life. I'll miss my "Walking Dead" comic book reports.

Most of all I'll miss our daily conversations about our lives. Spending three-plus hours a day in a small room for three years allowed us to learn way more about each other than we ever wanted. I'll miss learning from you every day.

Thank you for stealing me. Thank you for constantly teaching me. Thank you for putting up with my diva-ness. Thank you for always having my back. Thank you for being a wonderful friend.