2005 I had not realized how far out of touch I had fallen with friends from UCLA until now. I learned of Keith's death only this weekend while attending the UCLA - Stanford football game. While over six years have passed, I feel compelled to write to you. Keith and I became friends during our first year of college, and while many college memories are now fading, that year was unforgettable as we left home and started to find our own way. Keith and I rowed together on the freshmen crew team. He may have complained
about me - I drove him to practice every day at 5am in a jeep that never
had the top on, and it would get pretty cold on those drives. Keith
would slouch down real low, pull his hood up over his head, and try
to catch a few more minutes of sleep. As we stretched in the morning
at the boathouse, we were cold, tired, and wondering why the heck we
were doing this. I can remember him, wearing his green New Trier shorts,
shrugging his shoulders and saying "well if we're here we might
as well get Keith stayed at my parents' house in the spring of 1988 when the team
came to Palo Alto to race against Stanford. Awhile back I found the
handwritten note he sent to my parents thanking them for their hospitality.
I remember my parents commenting to me specifically about it. It was
a small thing, but it made my parents proud of me that I had become
friends and teammates After we both stopped rowing and joined different fraternities, we spoke less but remained friends. We went on a two-day rafting trip one year with our friend Howard Richter, and shared laughs and a few beers. The last time we spoke was on graduation day in 1992. Keith helped me get extra tickets for family members that were coming to town. While we went separate ways after college, I always thought we would catch up someday. It was that hope that led me to ask one of his fraternity brothers on Saturday where Keith was and how he was doing. Thank you for the wonderful website memorial you have in his honor, the gift of Keith. If depression can grab Keith, it can take hold of any of us. I remember the awe and admiration I felt at how he approached his recovery from his fall, and the strength and courage that must have taken. He was a good friend and teammate, and a great young man.I know how proud you must be of all that he accomplished in his life. UCLA and especially that first year of college was an important time in our lives, and I'm glad I was able to share it with Keith. I will miss him, and am thankful for the time I knew him. Sincerely,
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