He was a real family man. Every Sunday he would cook up this big feast over at his house, and my wife and I would come over for dinner. His daughters were taking dance lessons, and he used to go to all the recitals. He was the type of guy who would make you feel good about yourself. You always got the sense that he was on your side.

Every Sunday he would cook big dinners at his house. He was such a storyteller. And I never saw him show a temper toward anybody.

The situation was what it was. It didn't cause me to stop being friends with him.

He approached me and said he was thinking of going to law school. But then he told me what had happened, and I advised him that even if he made it through law school, he wouldn't be able to pass the New York bar because he had a felony conviction.

He said he was sick of the cold and the snow and wanted to get down to Florida where it was warm.