To his family and friends, I'm sorry this happened - it was too soon.  I know he'll be missed by many.

This hit me like a rock, I was in a business meeting yesterday afternoon in New Jersey when I received a text from my mother, saying Brian had passed away the day before.  I sat for a moment, in shock and in thought, and just got up and left the meeting.  I had to get away, and here's what came to me:

Kindergarten through High School graduation, Class of '81, and a couple of class reunions, and the all school reunion.  It doesn't seem like a lot of time when you're 53; but it was a great time of my life, and I know that Brian enjoyed it as much as anyone.  

Class of 81 had probably 5-6 different little cliques boys and girls included, the heads, the hoods, the aggies, the jocks, the brains, and the sportsmen - with some overlap of course.  Brian got along with everyone, he spent a lot of time with the jocks, but was an aggie and sportsmen for sure, and was respected by the heads and the hoods, and was very bright (smarter than he led on to be).  

Nobody from our class was liked and respected more by the entire class body than Brian.  

Brian was cool, the coolest.  He was our Fonzie.  

Brian was tough, the toughest.  He was our Charles Bronson.

He was my favorite classmate.  

The reason why he was so popular, I believe, was that he was a "real" person.  There was no BS from Brian in terms of who he was and his motivations,  What you saw, was what you got.  

He had this snicker, a somewhat sly snicker that one would have if you knew something was up, and that made me laugh, especially when I shouldn't be laughing.  Such as in Mr. Krueger's math classes.

I vividly remember Brian poking me in the back with a sharp pencil, routinely in Geometry class, when I was called upon to answer a question!  Funny!

I vividly remember Brian catching my pass as part of a fake punt against Rollette, resulting in a key first down.  

I vividly remember the way we wore his elbow pads for football games, and how he grinned through his facemask.   

I vividly remember Brian when we were pulling off the car in gym prank.

I vividly remember how my father, Olaf, really liked Brian's approach to things; and how Brian got along with him so well.  

I vividly remember when Brian introduced me to Schmidt Big Mouth beer.

The last time I saw Brian, was at one of the reunions, and we talked for quite a while.  He had so many stories, and adventures; yet he took the time to listen to what I had to say, and took interest in what I was doing with my life.  That was the last time we talked, and it seems like it was yesterday.

LIke I said before, he was real, genuine, cool, and tough....and kind.  

RIP, Brian.......later, Stan