Remembering A Dear Friend

I am dedicating this post to my dear friend and mentor, Ann Rodriguez, who lost her brave battle with cancer last week. Annie hired me to work for her company 16 years ago. It was a new challenge for me, in an industry I knew nothing about. I can remember our first meeting when she interviewed me, I walked away thinking she was probably the "coolest" person I had ever met! After three days of not hearing back, I called her up and said "Ann, have you made a decision, cause I really want to work with you!". I can still hear her laughter in my head when she responded "Didn't I say yes before you left?..." From that point on, we became fast friends and I can tell you that she taught me more about life, about living, about being gracious, classy and a strong woman, than anyone else in my life. We went thru the best of times together and the worst of times together.

16 years later I am still in the same industry, doing the same thing that Ann mentored me through. Thanks Annie! I had the chance to have lunch with Ann just a few short weeks before she passed away. It amazed me, but didn't surprise me, how she still had her sense of humor and her compassion to know if I was okay. In true Ann spirit, she always made the people around her feel like they were the most important person in her life.

I am happy that Ann is no longer in pain. I am happy that those of us who were fortunate to know her are better people because of it. I am happy that she leaves her son Paco a legacy of the true human spirit. But I will miss her so very, very much. Although we didn't talk on a day to day basis, it was the "knowing" that we were a phone call or a quick lunch away that made it even more special.

God Speed Ann.