From time to time, when writing about a person of consequence, we find ourselves focusing more on the personal impact than on their public persona. For me, this is one of those times.

We all have people in our lives whom we know more about than they ever realized we were privy to. For me, Asher Mattathias was one of those people.

A few days ago, Asher was taken from this world. I knew him through his daughter Miriam, a friend whom, at this point in my life, I see as more of a sister. I spent enough time with Asher to think of him as more than a mere acquaintance. While I feel a degree of bashfulness in calling him a friend, since we were not part of each other’s closest circles, if I learned anything about him, it is that he would have had it no other way.

Close friends often share the intricacies of their relationships with their parents. If they have chosen wisely in deciding whom to trust, that friend will treat what has been shared as sacred, as I do today. But as I sit here thinking about Asher, this is what I know and would like to share.

Asher Mattathias was a very good man and a proud and dynamic Jew. He leaves behind a strong legacy that will continue to grow through a family that loved him dearly. On the most personal level, I thank him and his lovely wife for their daughter Miriam, who, together with her husband and my close friend Brad, and their three children, Ava, Jake and Max, have given me another family that I feel blessed to be part of.

The other day, I was sitting in the beautiful living room of one of my nephews, with his wonderful wife and three adorable children somewhere else in the house. I stopped for a moment to acknowledge the role my parents had played in creating the environment in which I was sitting. Beyond simply giving us life, their influence and contributions could be felt throughout that room.

As I think of Asher today, I know that every time Brad and Miriam have welcomed me—not only into their home, but into their family—it has been a testament to what he helped build. There may be no better way to remember someone we have lost than to recognize and speak openly about what they have left behind.

Rest in peace, Asher.

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