Dear
Mr. & Mrs. Gelman,
My name
is Jeremy Stonehill and I am a friend of Jascha's from Chicago. I spoke
with you briefly after Jascha's funeral and had met you both on a few
fleeting occasions. I was friendly with Jascha at University of Michigan
and we became better and better friends after I moved to Chicago a few
years ago. During the past four years, Jascha would stay with me
whenever he would come to Chicago and would meet me in Ann Arbor
whenever I would visit for a football or basketball game. I miss him
dearly.
Your
son is and will continue to be a significant influence in my life.
Jascha had an innate ability to make people feel good about themselves.
To see something special in each person that he chose as a friend, and
to let them know about that special quality. It was because of this
quality that Jascha has so many close friends. Jascha would never let a
friend get down on his or herself. As soon as that would start to
happen, Jascha would remind the person of all of the attributes that
Jascha liked about him or her. Whenever he would come to visit me, we
inevitably would meet friends of his out. Jascha would introduce each
person to me as "the smartest" or "the funniest"
person that he knew. I could tell he meant it and the person would light
up. It was this ability that Jascha had that made him so special to me.
An ability I try to emulate every day.
I am
honored to be a friend of Jascha's. My deepest sympathies and kindest
regards.
Jeremy
Stonehill
|