An open letter to Brett Wolf in Heaven

January 31, 2009

What do you say when you loose someone that you loved.  Someone that was a big part of your life once upon a time?  Brett passed away July 20, 2013 at the age of 40 as a result of complications during a liver transplant.  He was my friend, a great guy and a wonderful magician.  

It's taken me a couple of months to even be able to write this post.  I can't convey the impact of emotion upon getting this sad news.  He was a man among men, a big guy with an even bigger heart and smile.  

We met years ago in Cincinnati, Ohio where we both are from.  I talked to him a month before he died. While I was aware that he had health issues, he never told me that he was on a transplant list or that things were that serious. Back in the day I must have seemed like somthing to my magic friends that were coming up.  I had lived and performed in NYC, Boston, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Tokyo before the age of 21.  By the time I was settling down with a wife and kid (I was 24),  I had this little posse of magicians that sessioned in the 3 room attic in my mothers house in Hyde Park.  Among the gang was Brett Wolf, Homer Liwag and Chris Korn.  Oh the times we had.  The tricks, the techniques, the theory.  These were GREAT and memorable days for us all.

When I met Brett, he was still in High School.  He was a big, good looking kid who wouldn't blink an eye as he lied about his age. . . convincingly. We had great times as the sessions moved from my mom's house to a giant 4,500 sq. ft. loft I was renting in a downtown slum.  Then to a brownstone in Covington, then to a place in Norwood.  

I created a job at an upscale, rock n roll, toy store  for adults in a downtown mall. My job was to create a magic department.  I did just that and brought Brett in as my right hand man. He was an invaluable partner in helping create a system that would later give me the confidence to open my own magic shop.

About this time my first marriage fell apart.  I had custody of my 2 year old son Buster, who Brett loved and was so good with.  Brett was there for me as my life fell apart.  I'll never forget the support he provided.  He was a good friend when I needed one.  I used to take him on the road with me, traveling from town to town doing one-nighters, drinking wiskey and staying in shitty hotels.  Sometimes I would give him a little slot in my show to do the floating cigarette.  People always FLIPPED OUT!

I am missing you my old friend.  My heart breaks for your family and friends who feel the emptiness as I do.  We will all get through this and remember what a fine, generous, happy individual you were.  Come and visit me in my dreams, I have a new trick to show you.

I can't fight the tears, so I won't.  You meant so much to us all and we can't believe your gone.  I will always love you and what you brought to my life.