Memories of Andrew Friedman
Andy 'would be proud' of kids
I was told about your site where letters and tributes to the victims of 9/11 can be written. I lost a few friends on that horrific day, but the one I miss the most is Andrew Friedman. As I am writing this note, I'm watching the NBA Playoffs, something that Andy and I would be talking about the next day (you will understand after you read my text).
I met Andy in the early 80s. We both worked on Wall Street and had some many things in common and a ton of mutual friends from camp, college and work. Our common bond was our love of sports, especially basketball. We became immediate friends playing for the American Stock Exchange Basketball Team in a corporate league. After our games we always grabbed a bite and/or drink and headed to Penn Station to catch our trains. We spoke to each other every day. According to our coworkers, we should have had a radio show. Andy worked for many years at a firm called ESI. In late August of 2001, he took a job at Carr Securities.
As we all know too well, Sept. 11, 2001 was a Tuesday. On Monday, Sept. 10, I spoke to Andy for the last time. It's amazing how I can remember our entire conversation. As was our custom, we poked fun at the Jets for their performance on Sunday and we were talking about the Giants game that was being played on that Monday night. We also talked about his new job. At that time, my firm was a takeover rumor and I was looking half-heartedly for a new job. Andy mentioned that if anything opened up, he would try bringing me in. That would have been the greatest! The only people who would have been upset would have been our wives, since we would have really been inseparable.
As big fans of the New York Knicks, the two of us always attended the game on Martin Luther King Day. In January of 2002, I made a point to get tickets and attended the game with Andy's wife Lisa and her twin boys. I have stayed in touch with Lisa as much as possible. Through Facebook I have followed how the boys have grown up. Andy, you would be so proud of them. If we played them in a game of 2-on-2, we would come in second.
I miss you and think about every day. I am going to make it a priority of mine to get my boys together with your boys.
Mark Schneid, Marlboro, N.J.
