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Correspondence – Andrew Kiley
“Drew Kiley is one of those special individuals that you meet that is more mature than his years. I first met Drew as a “5 foot 80-pound sick freshman” at Saratoga Springs HS. Today we are still great friends. I recently received this two-page handwritten letter (2-19-21) from Drew after not hearing from him after I called him. This incredible letter would follow. Drew has now found his purpose!”
Coach Rich Johns
Dear Coach Johns,
The purpose of this letter is essentially to apologize. I will get to that later. There is no excuse for not returning a phone call, especially for someone who had made such a positive impact on my life.
I was, fortunately, able to spend most of this past summer in Saratoga for the first time in many years since the Pandemic gave me the unique experience of working from home. I was able to take advantage of a lot of the nice things that the Saratoga area has to offer. Upon reflecting on the time spent up in Saratoga, one of the things that I valued the most was the sense of community, especially during the tough time such as the pandemic. This is something that I had lost upon moving and living in NYC over the past four & a half years. It was nice organizing my friends to email the City of Saratoga to fix the backboards at the rec this summer. I am glad that it was not only my generation that understood the importance of having good courts for kids to complete during the summer months. Thank you all for probably actually making the change happen, but I like to think our emails played at least a small part of it.
I was able to run into (pun intended) many people from neighbors, former coaches, teachers, & friends whose consultations all exemplified how great an impact that a positive community can have on a person’s life.
I went back to the city in late August because I was swamped at work and I wanted to close all the positive distractions that my Saratoga experience opened up for me. That thought process was that this would allow me to sit down & work 18 hour days until 3 am to make a positive impact on my company until the day tax deadline ended. I went back and did this and got all my work out on time. After the season, like always, the partners always sent me the same “we appreciate all that you did, we will try to make it easier next season” email. Normally these post busy season emails make me feel better, but upon returning to NYC, I felt like I had lost something this time. I have much more to offer and give back than what I was and had been doing over the past few years.
Later in September, I fell ill and after a few days of not being able to keep down food or drink, I was forced to check into the hospital. I wound up staying there for five days while my system normalized. Spending the first few nights in an NYC ER during a pandemic is pretty rough, to say the least! During these five days, you called me and I did not answer, well for five months, I still have not returned the phone call, I should have, and I owe you the courtesy going forward.
I can go off on how many times you have helped me develop from my times as a 5ft 80lb sick freshman in high school, until well, present day, but I more wanted to thank you for what you have done not only for our community but for other less fortunate communities through your Act With Respect Always program & being a friendly neighbor.
I am starting small in my mission to improve and have started to become involved in the Crohns & Colitis Foundation. Hopefully, I will be able to help others who have been impacted by this disease live a more fulfilling life.
Thank you,
Andrew Kiley
