Hi Jude, I first met you and your mom in Boston the spring of your second year. You likely don’t remember but we played hide & seek behind the big hotel curtains and caused quite a raucous! It was so fun because it wasn’t unlike the many times your dad and I got together.
Your dad and I started the same month at a company called Panopticon in September of 2009. We met a few weeks later in DC at a conference and immediately got on “like a house on fire”. As so many have communicated, your dad had a special gift for connecting with many different types of people and making everyone feel important.
Your dad eventually became my boss but more importantly a mentor and dear friend. I was so fortunate to learn from his business acumen, integrity and dedication on a professional level and his wit, humor and genuine love of life from a friend’s perspective.
We raised alot of raucous over the 4 years we worked together in Stockholm, Amsterdam, London, Las Vegas, Miami, NY & SF. Every event we attended, your dad knew so many people and was the person everyone wanted to be around-it was extraordinary and I am so thankful to have those memories! A good portion of my business network is a direct result of your dad which I’m proud to say is full of genuine people you will be able to tap into when your time comes. I am a better person for having known your dad and he made the world around him a better place-not many people have that legacy!
So to the first picture, this was an offsite in Stockholm, we worked for an eclectic company and one of our fun activities was to play segway polo (back when segways were new and cool). To put it in your dad’s words, we were “gobsmacked” about what to do so we made a bet about who could take the CEO down first…from there it became a smash up derby but in the end we together succeeded in our mission and giggled about it through the rest of the night.
Jude, you are his proudest accomplishment. I had the good fortune of being close when you were born. He was the proudest papa and sent so many incredible pictures of you with your mom. I will treasure knowing your dad and hope to know you as you grow up. The Redsox cap you have (if it still fits) came from me and we talked about taking you to a game when you came back to Boston so if you and your mom have the chance I’d love to still do that!
Sometimes heaven calls the most special people sooner that the rest of us want or understand…your dad was one of the best that for some reason was needed there earlier than any of us would have wanted.
He would certainly want you to carry on and become the amazing man you are destined to be….you have a truly extraordinary mom and legacy and I have no doubt you’ll do your dad proud!
With Love, Jen