DEDICATION OF PAUL’S FOUNTAIN

Thank you all for taking the time to join me and my daughter today. We appreciate it. I think that Paul would be a bit embarrassed, but nonetheless would appreciate it as well.

I’ve been asked why I feel the need to build things with Paul’s name attached, or do things in his memory.

None of these things are Paul. Nothing will bring him or us back to a time before his accident or replace what we lost when we lost Paul. It takes time and costs money to do these things. And time at least, is very precious. Paul was a strikingly handsome young man.

He was 6' 7", very intelligent, and struck anyone he met as someone with depth and integrity. He was witty, and charming and self-effacing. He was protective and insightful. He was an old soul, and a beautiful one.

What I believe Paul would have brought to the world is a bit more beauty.

I believe he would have helped his friends, family, colleagues, patients-anyone he met that was in need-with whatever he had to offer.

I think he would have made beautiful things, whether physical or conceptual, it was in his nature to do this.

But we’ll never know.

The reality is that Paul’s future will always be a dream for us.

Our future, is to some extent in our hands, and if Paul can’t be here to do what I believe was in his nature, then I’ll do what I can to honor his life by trying to make things of beauty.

Maybe in some small way, these things that have Paul’s name, picture, or words attached, or are done in his memory, will bring to the world some of the beauty that might have arisen as a part of Paul’s life.

Thank you again.

— Dr. Bill Chester
May 22, 2006