Aaron was our dear friend. How we will miss him. I could go on and on about the hobby and how much I have benefited from Aaron but I think I'll keep to our personal friendship here.
We began our friendship in the early 1980's with lively correspondence. Then when my wife Janene and I and my parents went to the east coast for a prolonged visit, Aaron personally picked us up with Thea and took us all over the place. We went out to some fabulous restaurants together, sat in their home sharing stories and learning about one another's lives. We went al over Manhatten and out to visit the Valentes, the Koenigsbergs and also Peter Dilg at his wonderful Victorian digs. Aaron and Thea took us to Nathan's at Coney for a hot dog. We found out on the news next morning that only 20 minutes after we had left Nathan's that this crazy "mad harpoonist" showed up there and starting doing a few people in!!!! One of our mutual close calls, but we always tried to see humor in it. Aaron and Thea were in our home many many times over the years to enjoy fellowship, trade around, have wonderful meals together etc etc. We met many many very special friends through Aaron and Thea. They have always been so kind and sweet with our children....giving gifts and just spending good time with them, enjoying them. We had a wonderful time one winter when they both came out to Palm Springs to get away from the Brooklyn weather, and we all got together there. Aaron has always treated me like a son and I have learned so much from him. We were corresponding and sending packages back and forth to one another the week of his accident. What a shock it was. We had just finished saying to one another how much fun it would be to see one another at Union very soon. There is no end to what I would like to share with everyone...but I'll never do it justice. I would like to share with everyone what a tremendous gentleman Aaron was and how much he cared for Thea. He never wanted to see his sweetheart go into a rest home and insisted on doing everything he could to keep her comfortable and attend to her needs. This was a real hardship for him (not that he'd ever admit to it) but he was committed to it. Janene and I loved Aaron and Thea deeply and we will always miss our precious friendship. Kindest regards to you all and our love to Cindy, Michael and Janene Khanchalian
