From Gabriella Feingold, a Classmate

Gabriella posted the following to her AIM profile (edited for posting here):

Avi Lapidus was a 15 year old boy who lived in West Hartford, Connecticut for the majority of his life. Unfortunately, that life was cut short wen he died of acute onset diabetes. he was in my class for 4 years, both in middle school and high school, and he was very intellectual. I wish he could have stayed on this earth because there is so much i would have told him if i had known that he would be leaving so soon.

I would have told him that, even though I didn't show it, his jokes about womens rights did make me laugh...and i miss them. i would have told him that his smile lit up the room, even if it wasnt always appreciated at the time. I would have told him that his deep blue eyes always seemed to me, to hold more knowledge and understanding than he let on. I would have told him that I admire the way he never let anything negative that anyone said bother...which is something that i can find in barely anyone I know.
I never told Avi about the things I appreciate about him, and now that he's gone I wish I had. and I would have told him that I am a different person because I knew him.

His death is a loss to his family, a loss to his peers, and a loss to the whole community that he contributed to.

We'll miss you, Avi.

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you:

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good.


With love,

Gabriella Feingold