I’mastrongbelieverthattherearenoaccidentsorcoincidencesinthislife.Iamconfidentinthenotionthateverythinghappensforareasonandthatthepeoplewemeetcomeintoourlivesforareason,totouchusinsomewayorperhapsevenchangeourlives,althoughthereasonmaynotbeclearatfirst.IonlyknewTonyforashorttime,andinallhonestynotverywell,butwhatIdoknowabouthim,Iwouldn’ttradeforallthegoldinFortKnox.Whatatremendouslossforthoseinthisworldthatdidn’thaveachancetoknowhim!Forthosewhodidn’t,I’dliketosharealittleofwhatIknow,inthehopethateventhoughTonyisunabletophysicallybeherewithustoday,apartofhimmayliveonineachofusandinturn,wecankeephisspiritalive.

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　　Tonywas,inmyopinion,themostwell-rounded,andappearedtoemulatetheidealexampleoftheyin-yangconcept.Hewasayoungcorporatelawyerwhodidn’tallowhisvasteducationandchosenprofessiontoturnhimintoagreedyandcorruptindividual;infacthewasjusttheopposite.Hewashumbleandsincere,gentleandthoughtful,downtoearthandcompassionate.Heenjoyedandexperiencedlifeinitstruemeaning–livingeachdayasifitwerehislastandrealizingtheimportanceofwhatitmeanstobetruly“alive”.Hewasalwayseagertolearnnewthings,toputthemintopractice,withgoodintentionsandapureheart–aqualitynottypicallyseeninadults.Whenhelearnedsomethingnew,youcouldseethetwinkleinhiseye,hewasachildatheartwhowasn’timpressedwithselfish,materialthingstheworldeasilydistractsuswith.Instead,hesethissightsongiftsthatcannotbeseen,norcantheybetakenaway:knowledgeandwisdom,kindnessandunderstanding,patienceandlove,thosearethethingsthatwillremainforever.Tonyhadaspecialinterestandwasverytalentedinmusicandpainting,readingandlanguage,travelandnature.I’veneverheardanyoneusetheterm“chrysanthemum”todefineoneofhisfavoriteflowers–highlyimpressive,inmybook.Tony’sdemeanorwasalwayscheerful,healwayshadpleasantthingstosayandshare…andhissenseofhumorwaspriceless.Averywisemanoncesaid,‘Themouthspeakswhattheheartisfullof”.NomatterwhatkindofadayIwashaving,hecouldalwaysliftmyspirits.Hishappinesswascontagiousandhislaughterwasinfectious.Hecouldmakea20minutetrainridefeelasifitwere20seconds–timedoesflywhenyou’rehavingfun!Intoday’sworld,it’sdifficulttofindpeopletolookatyourather,theyusuallylookthroughyou,becausethemajorityofpeoplearesobusytryingtogetwherethey’regoing,butTonywasabletounderstandtheimportanceofbeingakidatheart,yetwiththegraceofanadult.

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　　Tonywasalsobrave,adventurousandindependent;helefthisparentsasa16year-oldboytogotocollege.Ashegrewintomanhood,heventuredintotheunknownlandtofollowhisdreamswithoutfearorhesitationandmakealifeforhimself,withsheerdeterminationandanadmirable,unconquerablewill.SoIsaytoyouall,donotbesadthatTonyisnolongerwithus,butrejoiceandappreciateeachmomentyouspentwithhim.Learnasmuchasyoucanfromtheexampleheleftus,asweareonlyhereforaveryshorttime,letususeitwisely.Onlyimitatewhatisgood,onlyhatewhatiswrong,keepTonyinyourheartsandlookforwardtothedaythatwemeethimagain.