Op-Ed: Paul Sloan Was, Simply Put, a Great Friend

Editor’s note: Christian Kayser is a former roommate of Paul Sloan, a Novato native and San Marin High School graduate who was killed on Sept. 11, 2001, during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.

There are many memories I have of Paul, but my fondest is one of our last ones together.

As Paul was preparing for a move to New York City, where he would begin working for a prestigious investment banking firm in the heart of downtown Manhattan, many of our friends convened for a series of mini-celebrations to commemorate his last weekend in San Francisco.

As his roommate at the time, I recall feeling mixed emotions. My best friend and roommate was taking off for a great job, but he was "taking off" … we could not have those face-to-face conversations that I found to be so meaningful, funny, insightful, etc.

Of course, we were not always so serious, but his presence was undeniable in the way he listened to people and offered opinions (sometimes unsolicited, but, hey, that's what friends are for).

So, as we got together that last weekend in San Francisco, I think Paul realized he was going to miss us, too, because at one point, as we sat on top of an apartment building in the Inner Sunset admiring an almost flawless sunset, Paul threw one arm around my shoulder, one arm around my friend, Andrew Pridgen's shoulder, and yelled at someone in the crowd to come snap a quick picture of the three of us.

"That's going to be a good one," he mentioned. And then we split, going off to talk to other friends, and the moment was over.

The impact Paul had on me as a friend was, and still is, immeasurable.

This photo captures many aspects of our friendship, and is one of the few photos I have of him to this day. The events that took him are tragic and must be remembered, but those memories quickly fade in my memory when I think about all the positive things Paul did in his short life.

For those that knew him and were inspired by him, Paul was many things, but for me, he was simply a great, great friend.