.119 Kaz Koltai
To put it simply, becoming friends with Kaz has enriched my life in ways that I didn’t previously know existed. He is a living, breathing, and consistent example of what it means to be a good friend and puts an immense amount of time and energy into caring for those in his life. A single conversation with Kaz can include a slew of whip smart jokes, a couple of pep talks, a reminder that you matter, and at least a couple of in-depth discussions about intricate topics that leave you smarter and content. There is no such thing as a dull moment with him, be it online from thousands of miles away or sitting across from each other in a Manhattan apartment.
My friendship with Kaz is almost hard to fully explain — he has an innate understanding of me that I so deeply appreciate and cherish. I owe the majority of our connection to Kaz’s expert skills at listening and being present. Those traits combined with his wonderful empathy and compassion make for him being such a lovely, relaxing, and charming person to be around. With Kaz, you feel at ease, at home, and open to being your true self.
It’s also important to note Kaz’s incredible diligence and intelligence. He is ridiculously smart and works unbelievably hard to keep learning and growing in this crazy thing called life. Any obscure reference will never pass Kaz because he’s probably read it, seen it, or done his own research on it in his (limited) spare time. He’s wonderfully funny and his personality is so contagious and fun that it makes leaving an interaction with him almost sad because you don’t want it to end. Kaz is also extremely patient, always listening and always paying acute attention to the smallest details. He has some of the best handwriting in the world and the most gentle and sweet words to go with it. He’s just a powerful presence, friend and person to be around and I’m so lucky to have him in my life.
Kaz, thank you for always being there for me through every success and every failure and obstacle. Thank you for always supporting my projects, my stories and my wild ideas; you have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you for the top class back scratches, world-renowned hugs, and infamous party favors, the latter of which so clearly stems from your natural ability to be such a good host. Thank you for understanding me and for always being someone I can talk to and feel uplifted by. Thank you for your incredible storytelling and deep interest in listening to others and caring for them. Thank you for always making people laugh and for encouraging us to look at the positive of each and every situation. Thank you for inspiring me through your drive and unrelenting joy. There really is only one Kaz and he’s unique, appreciated, and needed in every single way. Thank you, Kaz, for always being so honest and loving. Thank you for being all that you are.
-BD