My son Andrew died six years ago today. He had just turned one.
He was born just as the leaves were turning. He died just as the leaves were turning.
We played a song from the musical Rent at his memorial service. It always makes us think of him. It goes, in part, like this.
525,600 minutes.
525,600 moments so dear.
525,600 minutes.
How do you measure, measure a year?
In diapers, report cards, in spoked wheels, and speeding tickets.
In contracts, dollars, in funerals and births
525,600 minutes.
525, 600 journeys to plan.
525,600 minutes.
How do you measure the life of a woman or man?
How about love? How about love? How about love?
Measure in love.
Seasons of love.
We miss you, Andrew. And we wonder every day
what you would be doing, what you would be like.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
Such a beautiful baby boy.
Thank you for sharing his photo.
Such a beautiful baby boy.
Thank you for sharing his photo.
Perfect song. I like that one, too. My deepest sympathies then and now.
Perfect song. I like that one, too. My deepest sympathies then and now.
I am deeply sorry about Andrew’s death. Reading about it in the NY Times Magazine article in 2003, and your openness in talking about him, have moved me over and over again. I admire your ability to talk about him — it is healthy, respectful, loving and very much opposed to the way most of us think about death, particularly the death of a child. As the parent of a young child, I worry at times about sudden, unexplained illness, and wonder how I would react. It seems that the grief would be unbearable. We went through a lot to have our son, and at times told by internationally-recognized experts that our case was hopeless. Every day with him is a gift, and being a member of this web community reminds me of that. Thank you for trusting us.
I am deeply sorry about Andrew’s death. Reading about it in the NY Times Magazine article in 2003, and your openness in talking about him, have moved me over and over again. I admire your ability to talk about him — it is healthy, respectful, loving and very much opposed to the way most of us think about death, particularly the death of a child. As the parent of a young child, I worry at times about sudden, unexplained illness, and wonder how I would react. It seems that the grief would be unbearable. We went through a lot to have our son, and at times told by internationally-recognized experts that our case was hopeless. Every day with him is a gift, and being a member of this web community reminds me of that. Thank you for trusting us.
Thank you for sharing Andrew with us. And for reminding me, again, why your Freakonomics site is such a wonderful place to “enter”.
Thank you for sharing Andrew with us. And for reminding me, again, why your Freakonomics site is such a wonderful place to “enter”.