Since I have been in different areas within the media, I have always had the rule that I would never mix personal and business. However, I am making an exception for this time. This Thursday, July 7th, would have been my grandfather’s 91st birthday. This is a man, who yes was a pain, but he was my pain. This man survived the Holocaust simply because he jumped out of a moving train. He saw a majority of his family die right in front of him. When he came to America, he ended up living the American dream as he worked in the Garment District by making zippers (before they outsourced it to China), getting married to my Grandmother, and having three daughters who all went on to get married and have their own families. When I had my Bar Mitzvah (a Jewish event when a boy becomes a man in the eyes of Judaism), I have said that if it was not his continuous help that I would not be able to perform my prayer. He would take me to Mets games when I was younger which I always loved doing. He would call me after every Mets game to talk about the game and would get mad at me if I did not do well on a test. When he passed away after having 13 strokes in 2 months, I felt a major piece of me was gone.

What I am about to say has never been said before, but I feel this is the best way for me to say this. I have had some successful things go my way from losing weight to doing a sports podcast do writing about sports. I want to call him and I can’t, it tears me up inside that I can not share my recent success with one of my bigger supporters. I also loved him, yes he could be annoying and a pain, but I know he always meant well. It is still not settled in yet that he is gone. Yes, he may not be physically here but he will always be around in my heart and mind as he is the  force behind me wanting to make changes for myself. He has taught me that if I need something  done to just do it and not wait for anyone.

Grandpa, I know you can’t physically read what I am writing, but thank you for everything you did and I know you have the best seat in the house as you watch me turn this leaf over and make a new life for myself. I know you will be watching as Pizza Man ( Mike Piazza) gets into the Hall of Fame this July and I know if you were still around we would watch it together. You are missed big time and I really hope we could have one more conversation.