Friday, December 5, 2025
As I entered my 7th grade class, I took a seat in the back of the room . There was an empty seat next to me and another student walked in and took that seat. He turned to me and said, “hi, I’m Ted”…little did I know that I just met my best friend. From that encounter, we were inseparable through junior, senior high school and college and into early adulthood. My best friend, the fellow that was the stabilizing influence in my life. I was the wild and crazy guy, Ted would reel me in and set me on the right path.
He was why I succeeded in school, why I became a teacher, why I fell in love with Broadway. The thousands of memories are constantly playing out in my mind.
There wasn’t a day that passed back in those early days that we didn’t talk. When Georgia called me last week with the news of Ted’s passing, I’ve been in a confused melancholy state. Little things that happen constantly remind me of our years together. I want to express my deepest condolences to Georgia and the entire Kastrinos family, you’re all in my prayers and thoughts. I will always fondly look back on our times together, Ted, you were always a gentleman, a kind compassionate decent guy. You were ,to me, a beacon of bright light. As the songs says, ,”thank you for being a friend”. Rest in peace my buddy….
