By Steve and Randie Silverstein


Brian had a world view. He lived by a code and expected others to do the same. Integrity, passion, commitment, doing what you said you were going to do were at its core.

I knew all this; had known it for 25 years.

But I was most impressed by Brian and the strength of his code after he became sick, and the illness that had been worsening undetected was detected. And as he became sicker, and as his ability to pursue the passions of his life, music, family, friends, cooking became more limited.

Brian became an expert in his disease. He applied his passion and commitment to understanding his disease, his symptoms and what his options were.

There are others who I’m sure will tell stories of Brian’s life before he became ill. I would like to share just one from after he became sick.

After he became ill, Brian and I spoke often, usually about how he was feeling and what the next steps would be as his doctors tried to understand what was going on. His doctors, Laurie, and I all searched the medical literature and the internet searching for answers… and didn’t find any.

Then one day an article appeared in my fax machine; one that described patients with symptoms just like his, and described potential treatments. One that Brian has found. An article that his doctors, Laurie, and I hadn’t found. Brian was not a doctor, or a nurse, was not expert at searching the medical literature. But by applying his passion and his energy, his ability to focus on what was important, he was able to outdo all of us.

I wish that the end of the story was a happy one, but Brian died knowing that he had done everything he could to prolong his life and live it to the fullest.

Laurie, Dana, Jilian, none of us can hope to fill the void left in your lives by Brian’s passing, but I want you to know that all of us, in particular Randie and I, will be here for you now and in the future, to support you and to love you, and to help you remember Brian and honor is memory.

Thank you.