Jerry was my best friend.  Of all the people that this tragedy would strike, I never imagined it would be to my best friend.  This man has molded my life so much that to recount our time together would as I were to be recounting my own life.  In our time period together, I have seen this man go through so many phases.

I first met the guy when I was attending church in 7^th grade and then later again in Chinese school.  I can remember at Chinese school Jerry was always so affable.  One day during class, he casually approached me and said “Hey, don’t you go to the same church as me?” As he smiled with that familiar trademark boyish grin, braces blocking out most of his teeth.  My initial impression of Jerry was that maybe this person had Downs Syndrome or something and naturally I felt a little obligated to talk to him because of our common origins.    Little did I know at the time that this person was to be my best friend. 

As children, we both liked goofing around.  I can vaguely remember Jerry and I telling each other jokes constantly during prayer time at church and trying make each other laugh and drawing funny caricatures of our friends, at the most inappropriate situations sometimes, just to perturb other people.  This innocent mischievous style depicted our youth; we were both goofy and carefree and thought we would be young forever.  Throughout high school and junior high, Jerry was able to make boring things like going to church and Chinese school very enjoyable for me and pretty soon I began looking forward to going to those functions just to see my best friend.

To me, Jerry was never afraid to laugh at himself and he would be sure that you felt the same way, whether you like it or not.  That was Jerry, no matter how precarious any situation was, he always made light of it and was able to embrace the irony of the situation and in some sense, you felt as if there really was nothing wrong that this too could pass.  I also remember a time when I got mugged and lost two teeth, Jerry was able to tell a funny joke during the silence, that I myself had to laugh.  Although I was feeling pretty bad at the time, it was just too funny not to laugh.  I also remember when the same situation happened to him, where he got hit by a chair during a brawl at Dennys’ and eventually had long gashing stitches across his face, never at one point did he seemed affected by it.  He even went further and casually joked about his appearance mentioning that he would never get any girls again, which ironically was quite true.

Towards the end our high school years, it was one of the most memorable times for me in my life, mostly because I was able to spend it with my closest friends.  Being poor high school students at the time, Jerry and I ended up playing RISK every weekend and watching pirated DVDs for free at Peter’s house.  Our excuse was that we were saving money for prom, even though it seemed otherwise at times.  Every weekend Peter’s place was our focal meeting place, we would just show up uninvited despite the protest of our friend.  As soon as anyone at his house opened the door, we would scurry off and play his video games and watch his movies without his approval, we eventually coined his house the “arcade”.  For some reason, in the game of RISK, Jerry and I would always end up allying against shady Peter.  Maybe it was because Peter was Korean, maybe because Jerry and I knew each other longest, or it was just plain funny to mess with Peter.  We would always end up winning the game together and killing off Peter and the game would always end up in stalemate between the two of us.  This stalemate between the two of us epitomized the profound relationship we had.  Jerry always joked, “Never trust a Korean.”  All in all, although we were still young, and had no money, we would always have a good time.

Then we both went away to college, I was in Northern California and he was in Southern California.  Through the distance one thing was quite clear, we would always stay friends.  No matter how much any of us would change there was no doubt that we would stay friends.  Never has there ever been a doubt of that.  I have met a lot of people in my life, been in a lot of relationships, one thing was clear; Jerry was someone who always stuck by you till the end.  Even when Jerry and I would have differing view points about certain matters, we would never grow apart. 

During the course of college, our surrounding social circles have undergone many changes.  I have always believed that change is a part of growing up and that “change comes from within.”  But Jerry had never made me feel like he was better than me for certain beliefs or that things were ever going to be different as a result.  In general, I believe that most people prefer to be around with people or surround themselves with other people that have the same beliefs and values as themselves, but Jerry accepted you for who you were no matter what, he may mock you a lot, but he still accepted you.  Even when Jerry and I were in opposing fraternities, he still brought me out to his fraternity functions, not hesitating to make fun of my choices.

I can remember every time Jerry called, no matter how long we haven’t talked, I would get all the updates and gossip no matter how outlandish they maybe.  Every time he called I would turn off the TV or head to another room because it was time to catch up on some old times or to laugh my head off.  It even came to the point where my ex girlfriend at the time was getting jealous because she definitely saw that Jerry and I had something very profound and cannot be matched.  That is probably why his girlfriend’s never liked me too much, not because I was a jerk to them so they say.

 Towards the end of college, I have seen Jerry do the most growing up.  I always capitalized on it by asking him for advice in my career path or any other life’s lesson.

But I digress a little.  One time Peter, Jerry, Patrick, and I spent the night at my house.  It was about 2 am in the morning and Patrick and I got in a big fight.  My dad came out running in his boxers and said one thing “I maybe 45 maybe 50 years old, but I know one thing…good friends are forever and hard to find.”  Our initial reaction was that we laughed at him.  I mean come on, you don’t your age?  But the message was quite clear; a friend like Jerry is someone you can only meet once in a life time.  Inadvertently so, there will never be a friend like Jerry.

Jerry, we been through so much together, side by side, friend admiring friend, student to teacher and best friends.  You have always taught me that we would always get through any situation.  Now is the only time I ever feel alone.

 

Eulogies

Appreciation Remarks from Jerry's Sister......................................................................................................Ms. Andrea Chen

From Jerry's Cousin...............................................................................................................................Ms. Claudia Chen

From Jerry's Girlfriend.................................................................................................................................Ms. Vicki Chin

From Jerry's Friend at Trammell Crow...........................................................................................................Ms. Patti Maude

From Jerry's Friend at Trammell Crow..........................................................................................................Ms. Diana Wyant

From Jerry's Brother of Lambda Phi Epsilon.......................................................................................................Dr. Jack Chen

From Jerry's Brother of Lambda Phi Epsilon.......................................................................................................Mr. Frank Ngo

From Jerry's High School Friend......................................................................................................................Mr. Peter Kim

From Jerry's High School Friend....................................................................................................................Mr. Samuel Lin

From Jerry's Friend at Trammell Crow...............................................................................................................Mr. Ron Heim

Concluding Remarks From Jerry's Father.........................................................................................................Dr. Chao Chen

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