Today was a beautiful celebration of a very well-lived life, though cut too short. I’m not very good at public speaking, especially when emotions are involved, and I wish I could have shared this in person.
I knew Andy mostly when we were teenagers, and like everyone has said, he truly was the star of the show—charismatic, funny, and able to light up any room he walked into. But what always stood out to me was that he could also carry people through chaos.
One of my favorite memories is when we all skipped school to go to the beach. I was driving my Jeep, music blasting, we were all just being teenagers, having the best time. I ended up going a little too fast, and suddenly a cop pulled up behind us. Everyone started panicking—including me. Andy was the only one who stayed calm. He said something like, “We’re good. Just turn the music down, slow up a bit, and move over.” I did exactly that, and the cop drove right past us. We were all a little shaken, but Andy said something funny right after and brought the whole mood right back. We ended up having a perfect day.
That was Andy—fun, magnetic, but also steady when it mattered.
A more recent memory that makes me smile was at an airsoft event. We were on the same team, clearing a building from different sides. At one point, someone came running through, and I reacted quickly and lit them up—only to realize it was Andy coming back to check on me and make sure I was okay. He didn’t get mad at all. He laughed, made a joke out of it, and thought it was hilarious.
That was Andy too—someone who circled back for people, who cared, and who chose laughter over frustration.
I feel really lucky to have known him, and to have those memories. He made an impact that won’t be forgotten.