When I first met Dr. Karon, I was simply an employee, an assistant to help with day to day tasks post his accident and becoming a wheelchair user. It was a largely random assignment and I wasn't expecting to come out of it with a dear friend. I certainly never expected that it would lead me to take 27 different trips with him to various conferences around North America.

As I got to know him, and his work, I realized how much he missed attending conferences, visiting with colleagues and dear friends he'd formed over his years of work. And I saw no reason why he couldn't continue to travel. At my urging, we first went to a Division 39 conference in Chicago, to see one of his dearest friends, Hedda Bolgar. One thing lead to another and I not only found myself traveling all over the country with him, but also we became close friends.

My fondest memory of Dr. Karon was when, over the 2013 winter holidays, the power went out for most of the greater Lansing area including his own home. While I did not have power, we had generators, kerosene heaters, and room for Dr. Karon to join us. He spent the week leading up to Christmas with me and my family. The ease as to which he fit in felt so natural and by the end of the week, he wasn't just my friend, he was a part of the family. That week was a very special time and myself and my youngest child will always remember it with the greatest fondness.