I was working at Quicken Loans barely making anything, living at my parents which I loved. But I was not in a good place. I wanted to grow in a career to eventually get married and have a family. I could barely afford to pay my student loans and car.

I tried applying to blue cross without Mr. Burgess’ help for two years. Finally I texted him and not five minutes later I get a call from Mr. Burgess. The very next day I had an interview lined up and received an offer from blue cross not even a week later. There are people that always say they will help you in the business world, but very few actually mean it. Mr. Burgess didn’t stop there. He called me frequently to check in and also leaned on me to help mentor others at work even though I wasn’t in the same area of the company as him.

He also taught me to pay it forward and help others in need. He never asked anything of me but to remember to always help others when you can.

Throughout my career he has helped guide me and end of the day helped me provide for my family. Without his help and guidance in the business world I would not have what I have today. I mean I bought a caddy in my first two years at blue cross because he had one. I wanted to be like him.

What I learned over the years though is that after seeing his role within the company and how high up he was I never saw him miss his kids games or events at Everest. Even if he had to take work calls he was at the game watching. He lived his kids more than life. He was always the life of the party and made you feel that way.

One time at the office he had a meeting on the same floor I was working on and my team had no idea I knew him. He caught eyes with me and yelled out ‘Sonny!!!!’ Me being a shy person was like come on Mr. Burgess. But he came right up gave me a hug and went on to his meeting.

For those who don’t know on our blue cross family side, Mr. Burgess was a faith based man and loved his family more than life. I saw it all the time at my siblings games and his kids games. From screaming at refs from the top of the football field to going down to the field after a tough loss and showing love to his kids. It’s hard to imagine not hearing his wonderful voice and energy. But his spirit remains in all of us. His laugh would light up a room and was infectious. Let us remember his love and passion and his never ending love for his entire family.

Mr. Burgess welcomed our family into the Everest community faster than anyone else. Moving across the country to a small Catholic school was scary. Mr. Burgess embraced the chaos of our large family and made us feel right at home. He invited all of us to his house countless times and always made sure to ask where the few who didn’t show up were. “Where’s Sonny? Where’s Nic?”

At my first visit to the Burgess household, it was for homecoming pictures. Rosie, Jules and I walked through the front door and immediately my heel got stuck in the vent. Mr Burgess came walking around the corner yelling “You just got here and are already breaking things in my house Angie!”

Mr. Burgess allowed Papa to throw up a last minute haunted house in his garage for Halloween. Once again inviting all of us over to trick-or-treat in a neighborhood where they handed out king size candy bars, we were lucky.

It was a necessity that Mr. Burgess be at an Everest party to make it fun. He always made his presence known from yelling anyone’s name to giving a toast and cracking jokes. I can remember countless graduation parties and weddings where my name was being yelled across the room and it could only be Mr. Burgess with a big old grin on his face as I tried to find him. We’d laugh and talk about what was happening in my life and he always ended the conversation with, “Where’s Sonny and Where’s Nic?”

The Mastromatteo Window Cleaning Company was hired by Mr. Burgess to wash what seemed like 1000 windows. My brothers worked on the outside of the house, while I worked on the inside. Mr. Burgess came home and said to me “Angie your brother’s gave you the most important job making you talk to the customers -they better be paying you the most.” They weren’t and that was my final time washing windows!

Mr. Burgess’ legacy will carry on through his four wonderful children. Each of them remind me of him - always cheerful with their big personalities and most certainly can count on at least one of them yelling my name across a crowded room.

     When we first moved, he really took care to welcome our family. It took a lot to get me to smile and laugh- and he always did, even if I didn’t want to smile. If I was clearly not talking to anyone…he’d yell my name come over and make me laugh and feel more comfortable and welcome. He knew what to say and how to engage with anyone in such a positive way. Hopefully, we can all strive to be like that for those that need it. His very contagious laugh and smile will be dearly missed, but remembered forever. And yes, he did usually end conversations with, “where’s Nic? where’s Sonny?”