I was so sorry to learn of Mindy’s passing. Mindy sat next to me in law school and I admired her greatly. Back then Mindy lived in a garden apartment in Fresh Meadows and had two cats. She was an integral member of our study group.  I remember her fondly. It’s a sadder world with Mindy no longer a part of it. Michael, you had a great Mom! I’m sure you’ve done her proud!!!

Mindy was a favorite for me in my family. We would bee-line to each other at every family get together from earliest childhood. She was so unassuming, easy, honest, open, fun, gutsy, stylish and just one of the coolest people I knew, at every stage of growing up. She got me through my homesickness at sleep away camp even though she was the younger one.  As we grew older, and life and geography kept us on different paths, we could pick up without missing a beat whenever we did get together and have some good laughs over the absurdities and realities of life. I think of her so often and still have trouble imagining she is gone.  RIP cuz.

Mindy and I often collaborated on pickups in Nanuet, NY, for Badass Animal Rescue. 

At precisely 7:30am on a given Saturday, a large 18-wheeler would drive up to a commuter parking lot in essentially the middle of nowhere, and down would come a large ramp from the center, immediately followed by the smell of hay bedding, urine and the barks of dozens and dozens of dogs. This was a P.E.T.S. LLC transport, ferrying rescue dogs from the South, to us. One by one, dogs would be filed out on cheap slip lines, going to Mindy and I, or colleagues from another rescue, or sometimes people who had been told to pick up their newly adopted dog from this transport. There was one cardinal rule: be on time. The truck had other stops further north and waited for no one.

Sometimes I would get there first, sometimes she. Mindy was cheery and chatty and inherently aware of the randomness of life. We would divvy up the dogs and see each other out of the parking lot.

There were moments of intense anxiety when someone's dog would get loose and make a run for it as we all scampered to retrieve it, usually with laughter.

We knew these dogs had just completed a three-day journey up the east coast. We knew their worlds were literally upside down. There are many unique skills that must be employed when working for a rescue, and Mindy clearly had that ability to coo and calm these dogs as she ushered them into her car, telegraphing that it was all good from now on. It's a rare and cherished ability.

Often we'd see each other a few hours later at the Badass rescue event where our dogs were usually headed. It was our responsibility to harbor them after we'd make the trip back to the city and eventually back to Brooklyn. We'd compare notes: "this one is a basket case," "sweet as sugar," "this one's gonna get adopted in a minute."

We both knew that, as the first humans that greeted these dogs when they came out of that hulking container, we could share positivity and kindness and love, beginning their journey into a forever home.

I will remember Mindy's smile and banter and caring voice, always.

I was saddend to hear of Mindy's passing. I left Brooklyn exactly a year ago today. I saw her almost daily at Caton Place. Our dogs played in the bocce court behind the building several times a week...My dog (Buzz) and Sally were serious boyfriend/girlfriend and just were non stop play buddies...of course Charlie played his role as chaperone very seriously. Mindy always had stories about her Badass adventures....whether it was having to lift up a big dog into her SUV that was off to surgery, or needing to get up early to make the commute of shuttling dogs back and forth, one always knew she found love and joy in taking care of pets. We could get off topic as well as I was born in LA, so we had plenty of California stories to share. And to Michael, we met a couple of times in the bocce court with your dog as well. Great job with the memorial! Also, I was incredibly heartend as I was going thru the pictures today and realized Mindy's Twitter page photo was a picture of her and our 4 dogs together in the bocce court, including Buzz. What a nice connection.

Never met Mindy, but I am a great fan of Michael. Jill and John O’Brien

She was seriously, hands down, the strongest, brightest working mother I ever met. She came to get her teeth cleaned but I got advice from her on how to be a good mom.
I admire how she juggled it all. And how I adore Michael—her beloved Michael.

I only got to meet Mindy once, but I got to tell her how great I thought Michael was and I could see her light up with pride. I’m very very glad I got to meet one of the great ladies.

Mindy with all of the Dumpling puppies that she transported to the puppy adoption party