Seb and I dated when we were in business school together, and he taught me what it means to love and be loved unconditionally. He always supported me, took care of me, and had my back, no matter what else was going on in his life. Even though Seb was so busy with school and recruiting for jobs, he always made a point to come support me at my pitch competitions or public speaking events. Sometimes he could only stay for the ten minutes that I was speaking, before having to go right back home to prepare for an interview. But he never made me feel bad or like a burden for taking up his time. Instead, he was always effusive in his praise and would emphatically tell me how great he thought I was. Seb believed in me wholeheartedly before I really believed in myself, and his belief fuels me even now, years later.

Seb was multifaceted with so many talents. At Dave & Buster’s, we would play this game that was a cross between basketball and Connect 4. Seb loved the combination of the athletic and the cerebral that the game required.

Another time, when we were traveling together during one of our school breaks, I needed a spoon. We went to the hotel restaurant downstairs, where the stern, unsmiling woman who worked there handed me one after I asked. It took me only 30 seconds to shove the spoon in my bag, but when I looked up, that same woman was smiling brightly and laughing uncontrollably at something Seb had said, as if they were old friends instead of complete strangers. That was the effect that Seb had on people – he always went out of his way to check on how people were really doing, joke around with them, and make them feel special.

I’ve found a lot of comfort in reading and hearing about memories of Seb from people in different parts of his life, because Seb was so consistent in the way that he made everyone’s lives better and more joyful. He was always proactively looking for ways to help others, going out of his way to be kind to everyone. I love and miss him a lot. Sending love to everyone who’s feeling the weight of his absence. Seb understood more about life than most people, and I hope I can honor his memory by treating people with the same light, goodness, and selflessness that he did. 

He and I became friends at First Baptist Church of Hollywood. One time I mentioned to him how I preached at a Rescue mission on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday evenings. A couple weeks after he mentioned how he wanted to join me for a service there. I was hesitant to have him come because skid row is not a safe area and I wasn’t sure if he was aware of that. I shared my concerns and he responded “Dude I’m from South Africa, I’m not afraid to go to skid row”. One of my favorite memories of hanging out with him. 

 Sebastian was a great guy. I’m thankful for the memories. Thank you for allowing us to share them here.