My condolences to Jancsi's family. I also met John when he moved from Michigan to Ohio in grade school. We quickly became friends and found out we had a lot in common. We loved to play soccer. We played for the Strongsville Stars traveling soccer team in grade school. We enjoyed summers at the pool with my mom and brother. We did that for several summers until my parents put a pool in our backyard and then we swam at our house. We would play basketball in his driveway at his house or at my house. We really liked playing pool in his basement and got pretty good at hitting a punching bag, too. We also found out we liked video games. Whether it was Mike Tyson’s Punch Out, Tecmo Bowl or Blades of Steel. Summertime also meant going to soccer camp. John and I were roommates at soccer camp two summers in a row. We stayed a week each year at a soccer camp at The College of Wooster. Ask me when you see me how fast John’s dad was going when he got pulled over for speeding on the way home one year. When dinner time rolled around we would try to find out what our mom’s were making. We would have options. Scratch made Hungarian fare from John’s mom or Hamburgers and Hot Dogs at my house. Or maybe takeout pizza. We rode bikes. Talked about girls. Had too many sleepovers to count. Stayed up too late on a Saturday night so we could watch the Headbangers Ball on MTV. And occasionally get yelled at if the TV was too loud. It was around that time John’s Dad took us to our first concert. And both our dad’s took us to our first Browns game at old Municipal Stadium. Being a Browns fan. That is a story for another time.

In High School we continued to play soccer together through our Senior year. When we turned 16 we took turns giving each other a ride to school. We dressed up and went to a Hungarian Ball where we had to dance classical dance in front of the room. We went to Europe with our Senior German class and got to visit John’s sisters in Budapest. After High School we stayed in touch and got together at home when we were on a break every year. John’s last year in college he did an internship in Germany where I visited him for a week. Those two trips to Europe we spent time not just with his sisters, but we stayed at his relatives homes both in and outside of Budapest. Three soccer games and Oktoberfest in Munich later we still talked about those trips to this day.

After college John moved to Los Angeles. He convinced me that we should go to Las Vegas for a gambling trip that first year. One year my brother went with us and we went to the CES Show. Another year his Dad met us and we went and took the Dam tour. We continued to have a guys weekend gambling trip to Vegas every year until my wife and I had kids. That’s when the disposable income vanished. And it was around that time I met Tiffany. I went to his wedding, visited him a couple times in Florida. And he always made time to visit me when he made the trip home. I’m pretty sure John and Tiffany both enjoyed going to the Cleveland Indians game and coming to my house for a cookout. Either way he always made time to visit.

In recent years he was trying to get me to start up our Las Vegas gambling weekend again. I told him about a year ago I was pretty sure I could start that back up again in the next year or two. He was really excited when he found out he moving to Las Vegas. I told him next year would be the year since I didn’t have any more vacation time this year. He wanted me to come to his 10th year anniversary bash. I couldn’t promise anything. But I had been researching airfares. When he sent me a message he was sick.

John was the king of inside jokes, diffusing a tense situation faster than Mario Andretti and was loved all around. I didn’t just lose my best friend. I lost my brother. Rest In Peace, brother.

When I met you in Germany in 1998, the world was a different place. Germany just introduced the Euro, the iron curtain just fell a few years ago, the world wanted to go West and embrace the East. We had just been over the prestroika, yet we had no idea how things will change soon for all of us. When we met at the University in Germany, we were young and free. We had a bright future in front of us, full of choices and opportunities. Opportunities we tried to ride as best as we can. Choices we tried to make wisely. People make their choices the best as they can at a given point of time and some may look back later on thinking what would have happened, if we went on a different path. We all think that we have endless time to correct our missteps, go after long lost causes, get new chances and catch up with those we have not seen for long. None of us believes we will also run out of time at some point. It only happens to others around us. Somehow we have this firm belief, that we will live forever. You run out of time too soon.  One shot. Not even a chance to look back and think what would have been... you were for sure not there yet. You were still full of plans and ideas for the here and now. When we met, we were half kids-half adults, trying to make some meaning out of life. Playing basketball, meeting new people, studying abroad was life. We had no idea how blessed and privileged we were. When I met you the first time (obviously playing basketball), it took you barely 2 minutes to show me your sense of humor and how much you love your mother. It took maybe another 5 minutes to strike me with your intelligence and curiosity. However it took you maybe 2 hours to make me understand how kind, generous and helpful you were and how amazing your grandma is. By the end of the evening I knew so much of your family, and that I am dealing with a well brought up gentlemen, who was so proud of his Hungarian roots that it just blew me away. (So much so, that instead of you teaching me English, which would have made a lot of sense, ca 2 minutes into our encounter, I had to start polishing your Hungarian because you insisted me to do so...) You left me no space to doubt, that your giant body hides a beautiful and generous heart. Jancsi, I will never forget our dance in Hungary, (Seriously? Dancing in the Gundel for the first time while your grandma is watching and we don’t know the steps? Lol! That sets a special tone, right?) Our “local tour of Budapest by night” (That was hilarious by the way, I wish we could have repeated it later on when I actually knew the city (and myself) better) and that you gave me your favorite blue TH sweater in that freaking cold in Aalen. (What a boring place that was, lol! Always snowing! Thank God for that basketball!)  One day, maybe I will go to that Lakers game and I will think of you. I am so sad that I have to go and buy the giant drink for myself and the a hot dog on the street with onions, as I saw it in the movies back in the 90’s I know, you thought I am crazy, as you were laughing at me, saying “Nobody eats that”. I told you, that back then girls in Hungary were crazy about the US, but again you were just laughing, because you could not believe that eating hot dogs on the street can be a life goal or a bucket list item for someone. You see, we were the living proof of how strong heritage can be, as you were brought up in freedom and me under a regime, yet we found a way to connect and become friends trough family values and the forever bond of our Hungarian origin. It’s truly sad, that I have never had a chance to get to know  yourTiffany in person nor to catch up with you for such a long time.  

Jancsi, you were a special kind. A witty, funny, good hearted giant and I know how much you loved your family. I will keep you forever in my memories. Rest In Peace my friend. You did so well in this life, you made so many people proud. My condolences to your wife and your family. They were  blessed to have you.

Ps. Don’t forget that in Heaven you can eat as many “turos palacsinta” as you want, but you don’t put on weight. (A clear win!) Not sure, but if it’s true, find my dad in the palacsinta line. He will be also happy to play cards with you. Cheer him up please. He likes sarcasm ;)