When Alison asked me if I could say a few words about Owen, I was truly honored to be able to share some wonderful thoughts and memories about my good buddy Owen.
Owen was a beautiful boy with his freckled face and sparkly eyes. His spirit was so free and his sense of adventure and curiosity about the world so intense that he developed passions early on that some adults don’t ever develop. To say that he loved sports is an understatement. He was so excited about his recent trip to Cooperstown with Stephane to visit the baseball hall of fame, I was surprised that he came back with facts he didn’t already know. I will never forget this past year when we watched the Giants beat the packers and then clinching the Superbowl title. We all watched both games together and were jumping up and down for joy, hardly able to contain the excitement we felt for the Giants.
But Owen also loved to watch Iron Chef. He would tape the episodes to watch them at 6:30 in the morning before school. He was up on his people magazine and all of the celebrity gossip, when Alison would allow it. He also recently bought a book about Barack Obama and dabbled in his own way into the world of politics. He was such an amazing person who truly comes from amazing parents. Alison and Stephane are role models as far as I am concerned in so many ways but especially in their role as parents.
We have had the privilege of being neighbors in both New York City and Woodstock. Spending many weekends throughout the year and summers upstate together. I have witnessed firsthand Owen’s quest for adventure and in Ayden he found a true partner. Whether it was fuse ball and air hockey competitions or jumping on the trampoline, ping pong or playstation, they both tackled their pursuits with such gusto you couldn’t help but join in their fun. Owen was also incredibly creative. Stephane reminded me yesterday when this past winter Owen convinced Ayden and Lucy to make snow cones. They all organized their supplies from Owen’s kitchen and produced the most original snow cones imaginable. On the ski slopes Owen courageously followed Ayden, the speed demon, but especially looked forward to warming up with hot chocolate and cookies in the lodge.
This summer, Ayden is off at sleep away camp and Owen Ackerman stepped in as Owen’s comrade. The two played tennis, attended soccer camp, often ending up in the Gerson’s pool. If you went swimming with Owen, their was a 100% chance of being shot with his high powered water gun. It was his favorite game, next to stopping Alison from doing her laps. The most amazing thing that we witnessed about the two Owen’s was Owen Gerson’s kindness, and gentle maner with our Owen. He treated him like a little brother. Owen also loved to play with baby Jake. Lucy and Owen made the best babysitting duo.
Last weekend we visited Ayden at camp and asked her if she had been receiving our letters as we had received very little mail in return. She immediately said she had gotten a letter from Owen, with a big grin on her face. “Mom” she said, “he wrote 4 ps’s” I think he has a crush on me. I asked why she thought that and to this she responded, “because their was a heart on the letter and he erased it but I could tell it was there”.
Just before the summer, Ayden and Owen planted an Avocado seed on our property and he kept asking if I had seen any sign of growth. Owen, I have not but I promise to put one in its place in your honor. We all love you, miss your beautiful spirit and will never ever forget you!
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