Waleed J. Iskandar
(By Eddie Ford Brown)
~ Generousity ~
~ Generousity ~
 Throughout our years at HBS and for the years since then Waleed and I were close friends. We always made time to see or talk with one another, whether it was a call from Abidjan or a visit in New York. The stories of his caring are legendary; I remember deep sadness when I heard about Mirel’s condition and eventual passing away. Mixed with sadness was a sense of pride, I marveled at how Waleed dedicated himself to her and told him several times that given similar circumstances, I’m not sure I would have had the same strength. We’ve had some intensely personal moments, including a memorable one in the downstairs of a bar called Match in New York’s Soho district. I was visiting New York from Abidjan for a week in 1999. Waleed met a few friends and me for dinner and drinks. I was newly engaged and I wanted my friends to meet my fiancée. After dinner and many drinks we ended up at Match. We were some of the last ones at the bar, as usual. Although Waleed and I were at a table with others, there was a time when we seemed isolated from the group. We talked about everything, including Mirel. I’m foggy on the details now but I clearly remember telling him that he was my brother and that I loved him. And then I kissed him on the cheek. We were both surprised by this action. We embraced and then joined the general dinner conversation. I remember this incident clearly because I am not an outwardly emotional person and had never done such a thing with a guy before, or since. He and Nicolette came to our wedding on Amelia Island in Florida and we fully intended to be in Greece for theirs. Nicolette was wonderful and reinvigorated Waleed. They were inseparable the entire weekend. Speaking of weddings, Waleed and I had spent a thoroughly enjoyable week in Greece at the tail end of our unforgettable safari trip in the summer of 1993. We stayed with his friend Wissam Jada in Athens and then hopped over to several islands. Our collective favorite was Santorini which is simply stunning. There is however one moment with Waleed that stands above all in my book. During our second year at HBS we decided to go on safari. We had planned everything but at the last minute my financing fell through for reasons beyond my control. I told Waleed that I couldn’t go, he would have to go with Jill alone. Without skipping a beat Waleed offered to lend me the money. No payback schedule, no issues, simply how much do you want? We went on the trip and I repaid him within a matter of months. The point is as follows: I was astonished by his immediate action. His generosity was instantaneous. He didn’t have to think about it and weigh the pros and cons. He just did it. Such reaction can only happen if the very core of a man is generous. (Eddie Ford Brown) |
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