Lanny you were one of the most incredible people I've ever met. Your friendship and mentorship has been fundamental to my life. You believed in me and supported me through so much. I wish we'd had just one more hangout.

I was honored to be able to speak at the San Diego memorial for Lanny and have shared my comments below.

Lanny was one of my favorite people in the world. I first met Lanny when he was a freshman at MIT. We were in the same fraternity and lived together with our fraternity brothers in a large brownstone on the Charles River in Boston. Lanny had a lot of pride in being from the Boston area and a fierce loyalty to Boston sports teams. While that was the first thing I learned about Lanny, it was quickly followed by what an easy going and genuinely good person he was. That loyalty carried to his friends and family and there is nothing he wouldn’t do to help them. He forged many close friendships while at MIT and became president of our fraternity during his time there.

After graduation, our paths crossed again when he moved out to Los Angeles. I was also living in Los Angeles and was fortunate to spend a lot of time with him. There was little that phased Lanny and he was always up for an adventure. I enjoyed introducing Lanny to life in southern California, like taking him surfing for the first time. Most people ease into it, catching the smaller waves as they try to get the hang of it. Not Lanny - the first wave he caught was the biggest wave of the day. I will never forget the image of Lanny’s board completely vertical going down the face of the wave with him still on it paddling. It resulted in a spectacular wipe out after which Lanny collected his board, unphased, and paddled back out to try again. That was characteristic of how Lanny approached life.

In the years that followed we lived in different cities, went to different graduate schools, and started families in different places. We didn’t see each other as much, but managed to keep in touch. Then we both ended up in San Diego. While we didn’t see each other as much as I would have liked, we did meet up periodically and were able to join some trips over the last few years to meet up with our friends from college who are scattered across the country. I was lucky to get to experience different phases of life with Lanny. He was a great friend throughout them all.

While Lanny wasn’t particularly religious, there is a concept espoused by the Jesuits that I believe characterizes him well. They encourage their followers to be a “man for others”. The concept focuses on living for others rather than your own personal gain and actively seeking to right wrongs in the world. Lanny was truly a “man for others” and lived a life in which he gave more than he received. He wouldn’t have it any other way. That was just the way he was. Always the first one in line to lend a helping hand when it was needed and willing to stand up for what he believed in.

Lanny’s passing was a shock and it’s hard to comprehend he’s gone. I am thankful for the nearly 30 years I knew him. One of the most difficult things for me is the time cut short for Bobby and Cody. I hope you know how much he loved you and how proud he was of both of you. Being your dad was the most important thing in the world to Lanny. I am hopeful that through his friends you are able to learn more about your dad. He was a remarkable man and has a lot of friends who love him. Please know that we are here for you as well. After Lanny’s passing, many of his friends discussed wanting to do something to help support Bobby and Cody. With George’s help, we have put together a fund to support your education and have raised over $16,000 to date.

I know there are a lot of people who wanted to be here in person, but are in different locations across the country and joining remotely. Many of Lanny’s college friends will be joining the Boston memorial that is currently being planned. On behalf of his friends, I want to communicate how much Lanny was loved and how much he will be missed. 

Lanny and his Cub Scout Den at a Red Sox Game

Lanny, my forever co-captain of the CCHS Fencing Team. You will be missed, my thoughts are with your family.

I will miss Lanny's sense of humor, intelligence, and unassuming confidence. Lanny and I shared lots of good times in High School including: reenacting Monty Python and the Holy Grail, going to see Pink Floyd at the old Foxboro Stadium, and singing Dennis Leary comedy songs while the savory smells of his Mother's delicious cooking filled their house. During college breaks I was fortunate enough to visit him at MIT. I know how much he loved Bobby and Cody and I'm grateful that he made our world a brighter place.

Lanny, thank you for being a leadership role model and inspiration to me in my early days at college.