August 20, 2012
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Andrew’s List
I was reading an article in the Sunday Chicago Tribune about an interesting and amazing guy from Plano, IL named Andrew Kuebrich. He was one of those amazing overachievers in high school who seemed to do everything and was loved by everybody and made quite an impact on people. After graduating college, he landed a job teaching English to three and four year olds in Hong Kong before taking a similar teaching job in Taipei. All the while, he created a list of 150 things he wanted to accomplish before he died.
I’ve always been the type the loves lists and in particular lists that involve people reaching certain goals or accomplishing things. So naturally the article appealed to me. His list includes not only a whole shitload of really cool things like write a book and have it published (#16), shower in a waterfall (#109), unicyle (#111), see something no else has seen (#151), visit Stonehenge (#87) but also a lot of things that will either make a difference in a person’s life like #75, make a huge difference in at least three people’s lives or hand write letters to five old friends (#90) or spend a weekend at an old person’s home (#32) or #142, make somebody cry out of joy, or make a difference in the world such as number #22 invent a couple of products or #45 be a teacher or make a million dollars just to give it away which was number 13.
His list is nothing short of amazing. And I was excited to see that I had either done some of the things on his list such as watch a Cubs game in the Wrigley Field bleachers (#3), be in New York for New Year’s Eve (122) or win a free IPOD (#95). There were a ton of things on his list that are things I want to do including something I put on my list to do by the end of this decade, which is go to Mardi Gras (#125 on his list). In short, it is a great list of a great and interesting person. But, it was #149 that had the biggest impact on his life. #149 was to take a bike trip around Taiwan. And it was number #149 that cost him his life on January 25, 2012 when he was struck from behind by an SUV and died on the scene.
As gutwrenching and heartbreaking it is to read that last sentence, it is bittersweet to hear that his family, friends, and even some strangers are helping to complete his list which has been posted on the Remembering Andrew Kuebrich Facebook page. I can’t help but get almost teary eyed when I visit the page. And it makes me want to accomplish at least one of the things on his list (not number 115, be a member in a TV audience because I have already done that) such as #61 be in two places at once or #124 drive across America from coast to coast.
Or better yet, in honor of Andrew, start my own list:
1. Go to every major league baseball park.
2. Attend a protest.
3. Win a trip to take my friend J.T. on to make up for him not being able to go to a trip I won to L.A.
4. Complete something on Andrew’s list, like #77, give $100 to a bum.
5. Win an IPAD
I can and will go on with this list, but this is a start. Here is to Andrew, an amazing person who left this world far too soon.
Oh, and if you want to read the article for yourself, here is the link:
Comments (2)
How many things did Andrew accomplish? Very cool bucket list idea.
@ShamrockLover - you know I’m not sure, I think……….shit did the article say? I don’t think it does and I’m too lazy to go back and read it again.