Drew was a true gentleman. He helped me select my first vaping equipment and shared some stories with me. I felt drawn to him, he had a positive "can-do" attitude I respected. Not long after, he unexpectedly sent several new Nhaler products and asked me to write reviews. He was keen to learn not only whether his new products were good, but whether a newbie like myself could use them without guidance. He didn't ask for "favorable" reviews, he wanted honesty and sincerity. I have dealt with entrepreneurs for more than 40 years. Drew's insistence on objectivity struck a responsive chord in me and spoke volumes about the man.
Later in the year, I developed an invention related to vaping. My first thought was to contact Drew. I asked if he would look at what I had created and he invited me to visit him in his office. So, on a beautiful autumn morning I left at 4:00am and made the 325-mile pilgrimage to Farmingdale, NJ. I shook hands with Drew in the doorway of a little cottage astride a neat-as-a-pin home on a quiet avenue. There was a harmony in the air that was most appealing. Drew was a gracious host. He introduced me to his office staff, several of his children and his charming wife Angie, who took the time to demonstrate how to properly clean and care for my vaping equipment. I felt like a privileged little boy in the ballplayer's clubhouse.
Privately, I found Drew to be passionate about nearly everything. He had a brilliant and insightful mind and we talked for hours. This was an extraordinary man. The deeper I went, the more there was to find. He shared his views honestly and ultimately encouraged me to proceed. I returned home feeling enriched by the experience.
Last evening I opened my most recent e-liquid order and there was a handwritten note informing me that Drew had passed away. There was a long moment of deja vu as an overwhelming sense of loss passed over me. I have not felt that gaping hole in my gut in many years. I felt it again last night. I was reminded of words written at the time of President Roosevelt's death, when the writer "felt the wings of the angel of history flutter through the room."
However, one does not have to be famous to be great. Everyone in this world is unique and has something to share, but a few people touch us in ways we can't explain. We feel enriched merely by having known them. Drew was such a man. His accomplishments, both personal and professional, are known only to a few, but they are monumental. How many lives did Drew save? Even he didn't know.
My time with Drew was brief, but that brief time allowed me to become more than I had been. For that I shall always be grateful.
Rest well, my friend. I wish you well and hope to see you again.
