By J. Robert Hillier, Lh.D., FAIA

A good friend of mine who is now retired in California after managing and then selling a very successful  conference center business came up with the idea of celebrating people‘s lives while they’re still alive! His name is Walter Green and his program has been so successful that he has given a TED talk on it plus other major presentations.

Walter got the idea after giving several eulogies to friends after they had died. He asked quite simply, why don’t we celebrate them while they are alive?

Proof of this was the WJHCS celebration of about a dozen 90-year-olds from the Witherspoon Jackson community. In an evening that was jointly arranged by the Witherspoon Jackson Historical and Cultural Society and the Arts Council Of Princeton. Over 150 people showed up in the arts council auditorium, which can only seat about 110. The crowd that had come to celebrate the 90 year-olds was overwhelming. Commemorative blankets were given out to each of the honorees and a member of their family gave a short description of their life, and also a tribute to them.

I actually have personal experience with the “Say It Now!” Program. My beautiful wife, Barbara, was showing early signs of her oncoming Alzheimer’s disease. For her 65th birthday I decided to throw a surprise conference phone call (during Covid) where I invited 175 people who knew Barbara to join in the call.

Our daughter Jordan, and her husband Alex were in the room with Barbara and me. Her brother Bruce and his wife, Iris, were on the phone in Atlanta. One of Barbara‘s closest friends, Mary Wasserman called in from Africa. 168 people actually showed up and participated in the phone call which went on for an hour and a half. At the end, 164 people were still on the line and each had had a wonderful thing to say about Barbara. 

We spent an amazing hour and a half, laughing, joking, and crying, as each participant in the conference call, told a story about Barbara. A lot of her colleagues from work told terrific stories about presentations that had gone well and others that had failed… all with a touch of humor. Though the call took place over 8 years ago, I still hear comments today about what a great event it was and folks remind me that they were there!

So, if you have somebody in your life to which you want to make a tribute and express your love, SAY IT NOW!!!