A devastating day. I'm sure many of you can relate.

[boa2]

A few years back, on a quiet night in Sacramento, I met Rainer. He had just left the grocery store, only to find me ogling his white Porsche Cayman S. 90 minutes of yacking later, we knew we had a lot in common. Most significantly, we shared a humbling admiration for our wives.

Rainer and his wife Susan were a big influence on us, particularly because my wife and I had just started our company, and they had recently sold theirs. Rainer's Porsche was only three months old, a 'retirement' reward for selling the company. He and his wife bought a piece of land on the ocean in northern California, and he rode his motorcycle there each weekend to build their get-away home. He also surprised Susan by buying the craftsman house next door to theirs, so that she would have a place to make and display her art.

In March of this year, their beloved Golden Retriever died. They were devastated. But their attention was redirected only a couple weeks later, when they found out Susan had leukemia. Sadly, a few weeks ago, not yet 50 years old, Susan died.

It's so upsetting I can't believe it. Rainer had requested privacy, so I only found out today. I'm just sitting here in a daze. And I feel so badly for him, as he is alone now.

I hope this is meaningful to you in some way. I'm sure many of you can relate. Hug those loved ones!

Susan