Footprints in the Sands of Time
Memories of Bob Moawad

Exactly ten years ago this month, I crossed paths with a man who would become one of the most important people in my life, Bob Moawad. I was working with Bendix in Elyria, Ohio at the time and Bob had been hired to speak at our annual employee celebration event. I volunteered to be his “chauffeur” for the day. Like others at Bendix, I already knew of Bob through the video portion of one of his company's educational workshops, but this would be my first face-to-face meeting with him. The little bit I knew about him up to that point absolutely fascinated me. His corny humor, piano skills and deep knowledge of human behavior made him one of the most amazing speakers and educators I'd ever seen. His ability to tell a story in a way that sucked people in, educated them and conveyed a genuine concern for their success made him "the real deal".

In some ways, Bob seemed larger-than-life. He had traveled the world speaking to audiences of all sizes for over 25 years, helped start and run a very successful corporate training business, and was smart enough about the nature of people and business to gain the serious attention of almost every CEO who heard him speak. Men like that didn't end up in Elyria very often and they certainly didn't end up in the front seat of my car! I selfishly took advantage of the situation and used the time to ask him all kinds of questions. How had he gotten started? How was his company, Edge Learning Institute, structured? The journey of a man who went from high school teacher and basketball coach to world-famous educator and speaker had to be a great story! And it was. Driving through a snowstorm on Cleveland’s far west side that afternoon, Bob patiently listened to each of my questions and answered them thoughtfully and thoroughly. And then, it seemed, time stopped for a brief moment and my future flashed before my eyes. Bob looked over at me from the passenger seat, grinned and asked, "So what do you want to do when you grow up?"

Ten years later, I look back at that afternoon and still marvel at what has transpired in my own life since then. The decisions I've made, the places I've traveled to, the people I've met, the things I've learned and the audiences that I have had the opportunity to address. None of it would likely have happened the way it did had a man I barely knew not smiled at me, sensed my potential and said, "Go get 'em, Tiger!" While many people daydream about quitting their jobs to follow that inner voice and do something meaningful (to them), I actually did it. I was living the dream and had a great mentor helping me along the way.

Then, a little over two years after I had become a part of the Edge Learning family, Bob dropped a bombshell. He shared with his family and those of us in the company that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare, but usually fatal, form of bone cancer. Like most traumatic moments, I can still recall exactly where I was when he called, what was said, how my knees got weak and the blood seemed to drain from my head. It was surreal. And while the doctors were giving him 12-15 months, I distinctly remember the courage and the confidence in his voice as he reassured me that he was going to beat this thing.

There's nothing like adversity to really bring one's character to the surface, and this was the case with Bob. Refusing to accept the doctors' original prognosis that he should begin to get his affairs in order, Bob swore he was going to fight his cancer with every once of effort he had. And for seven years, he did. He went through numerous rounds of chemotherapy, multiple stem cell transplants and a host of non-traditional treatments. Some brought signs of improvement, some did not, but fight on he did.

Throughout the whole process, Bob remained visible. He continued to take on public speaking engagements, he prepared for and shot a brand new video series that became the foundation of his company’s product offering, he stayed engaged in his company’s business and he sent out regular e-mail updates on the status of his battle. But the thing I remember most is how he stayed in touch with people and, specifically, how he stayed in touch with me. Rarely would a month go by when my phone didn’t ring or that a message (usually including singing) was left on my voicemail. His sentiments, whether live or recorded, were always the same. “How are Kim and the kids? Boy is Lebron James (or those Buckeyes) fun to watch!” Often he would speak glowingly of his own boys, his wife and his grandkids. But what I remember most is that he would always end with, “I’m proud of you and want you to know how much I appreciate you.” I suspect he had similar conversations and left similar messages with many others, undoubtedly with the same impact. Bob made people feel special.

Earlier this month, cancer finally won the long, hard-fought battle for Bob Moawad’s body. But it never beat his mind or his spirit. Nor could it touch the length and breadth of his legacy. It’s hard, actually, to imagine just how many lives this one man touched. Whether in person, through video or via his colleagues, Bob planted seeds of hope, confidence and esteem wherever he went. One of his favorite sayings was, "You can't leave footprints in the sands of time sitting on your butt. And who want's to leave butt prints in the sands of time?!" Unlike footprints by the sea, those we leave in the souls of others can last forever. Some of his, I suspect, will endure for many generations to come. I’ll miss you, Bob…rest in peace, my friend.