Unfortunately for all of us, and because it’s part of life, we lose loved ones along the way. We all mourn our losses differently and in many cases our lives never become the same. This week, the on-line world suffered a huge loss and for many of us, it went beyond facebook, twitter and active rain conversations…we lost a real friend that had a huge impact in our lives.
As miamism readers, you may or may not know how we come up with content or how this blog was born. It may be interesting for you to realize that a lot of different people in the world influence how we convey our message to you, what our on-line strategy is and how we ultimately market ourselves. We collaborate with colleagues around the country on a regular basis to improve the information we provide for you. We brainstorm, we network, we teach each other how to provide better content and give better service. Our blogs, lives and businesses are somewhat interconnected by social media and ultimately an on-line family.
Our friend Laurie Manny, a Long Beach Realtor, died suddenly this past Wednesday leaving a huge void in our lives. Many in the industry have written beautiful tributes about Laurie and but I am at a loss for words. This is what Laurie meant to me:
When a woman is strong-minded, tenacious and self-assertive, people usually think of them as abrasive and even scary. For some odd reason our society frowns upon them and avoids any connection with them. Well guess what? Laurie Manny was one of those powerful and commanding women and THAT is exactly what attracted many of us to her. She had the gift of recognizing people’s strengths and would let you have it if you didn’t use those in a constructive way. She always had a fiery plan involving intricate networks of people coming together for a common good and that’s why she was such an amazing connector and mentor to many. I know for a fact that Laurie would not want me to be mushy and sentimental about what she meant to me, but I can truly say that beyond anything else, she was a friend. I will miss her fire, her determination and her irritating calls at 2:00 in the morning. I will miss our brainstorming sessions and our arguments, but most of all, I will miss my friend.
Our deepest condolences to her friends and family, may we be able to recognize the deep impact of our loved ones before they are gone.
Please read these amazing tributes about Laurie Manny:
Comments
24 responses to “Missing a friend like Laurie Manny”
Oh this so hits the nail on the head ! She definitely was a spunky, sassy lady who you never had to ask what she was thinking because she would tell you first! I think true friends do just that, and continue to BE friends because of that honesty.
This second loss (after Joe Ferrara) just makes us all realize, how important each of us is to the other in the RE.net. In fact, I think all of us appreciating & loving each other, is probably being written about in a blog post upstairs by the two of them right now. š
Lori, you are so right – it makes us think how it’s not just about on-line friends….these are real friendships that we need to nurture and not take for granted. Goes back to the importance of a phone call or a note. Joe and Laurie will be missed and I can only imagine both of them laughing right now. (HUGS)
Ines….I never met Laurie, but I know she had a great impact on may in the RE world.
Truly sad when anyone leaves us, more so when they have an affect on our lives….
You wrote a great tribute indeed.
Ines, how difficult to write a beautiful tribute like this and so hard to read. However, the memories of Laurie will live with us forever.
Spunky and sassy are right! The enormous impact of Laurie’s loss takes my breath away. I was unprepared for immense grief … I keep waiting to wake up to find out this was just a terrible dream.
I’m still working on my remembrance piece. Thanks for such lovely inspiration, Ines.
Thank you Thom – a lot of us started blogging at around the same time and depended on each other for advice…it was the beginning of a great friendship
Irina – I’m still at a loss for words, the one paragraph doesn’t even begin to describe Laurie – I think between all of us, we’ll do a good job of describing her legacy (thanks for your friendship)
Frances – I kept calling her on Wednesday hoping it was all a bad joke. I kept hoping she would answer the phone….it took quite a while for it to sink in and it’s so very sad.
I can’t wait to read your piece. Let’s remember that at least it has brought a lot of us closer together.
Ines, You said an awful lot with just the words. “She Was My Friend”. Beautiful words.
Thank you Jerry – I’m still numb
Laurie was just a classic… Her and I had a cool friendship. Like many of us, there was a great connection with Laurie. Her “tell it like it is” attitude was awesome.
I remember about a year ago, my wife and I were in Long Beach and I called Laurie to say hi. My intent was to say hi and to let her know we were in her ‘hood. Laurie kept me on the phone for about a half an hour, I got a street by street tour of Long Beach and was shown “her city” as we drove around. Laurie was mad that she had an appointment to get to but wouldn’t let me leave the area without her personal tour. š
I will miss her…
Nick,
I’m loving everyone’s take on their relationship with laurie, each so different, but powerful nevertheless. I’m so glad it wasn’t just me (thanks for the smile)
Ines, I will be the first to admit Laurie intimidated me like a nun at a Sunday service.
She was unafraid, sure, and confident.
I loved her for it, and I looked up to her because of it.
I was lucky enough to talk to her a few times on the phone, and she was genuine and authentic… and in my book being genuine is better than being anything else.
Loved this post. You nailed it.
xoxo
Ines, you did an admirable job in describing our friend, Laurie. The New York never left her. She was brash, in your face, and honest as the day is done. She would drop what she was doing to talk to you about what was going on in your life and world. She leaves a huge hole in all of our lives but one of the best things about the web is that things are there forever and ever and her writings and blogs are always going to be there to read and learn from.
That loss will resound well beyond social media/real estate. But thankfully the ways she helped in shaping the industry will be felt forever.
Ines, I’m sorry. Your tribute made me wish I had known here.
Thanks for writing this Ines….straight from the heart.
Love,
Rudy
Julie – THAT’s exactly what many would say…”she was intimidating”…but deep down inside, she was a kitten (and a loyal one at that).
Lenore – and we owe her some friendships no? some people, like you, I would have never met š
Alex…no doubt
Rudy – your 2 sunflowers for Joe and Laurie say it all…amazing how we don’t have to say much to show what these 2 amazing human beings meant to us (HUGS)
Thanks for the smiles everyone!
Steve…you would have loved her (if she let you get a word in) š
Right after Joe Ferrara passed away Laurie called me perplexed she had a legal question and it suddenly hit her that she did not have Joe to discuss it with. I asked what it was, as it turns out it was something that Joe and I had spoken on extensively. I was able in an instant confirm what she thought.
Both Joe and Laurie had such unique friendships with each of us, with wildly different conversations that what they have left behind is a legacy of helping. Each one of us helping the other through. The answers we seek are out there… We just have to lean on one another…
So many of Laurie’s friends that I did not know before this have reached out and helped me through the loss of my dear friend. It is that legacy that will last forever. True Friendship! Unconditional Love. The world could use more of that….
Love ya!
Colleen
A very fitting tribute to Laurie. Nicely done Ines.
Laurie and I used to butt heads all the time. But I’d listen to her, she’d listen to me, we’d each tell the other they were full of crap and then we’d laugh our asses off. She was smart, cool and clearly not afraid to say what she thought.
I miss her.
Jay…I think it was during “head butting” that Laurie was at her best. Nothing like a little instigating. You guys always cracked me up and personally, it wasn’t even about agreeing, winning or reaching common ground – it was all about the journey.
Colleen….and a lot more sunflowers! š
Said this so many times over the past 7 days, but I just can’t grasp that she is gone??? She was one of my 1st Mentors, quite early on. Had it not been for the guidance she brought to me, along with a great deal of others we know, I would not be “Living My Dream” right now in my current job.
I’m gonna miss her, and I am really gonna miss the incentive she provided to be better than she was, as a Real Estate Blogger in Long Beach.
As I said in other comments…In 6 weeks Jesus and all his Disciples will be Blogging!
and they better do it well, or she will own the Google search terms for “heaven”, “pearly gates”, and “afterlife”
Stay Blogging My Friends!
@TheRECoach
My favorite part … “may we be able to recognize the deep impact of our loved ones before they are gone.”
It is so important to recognize and tangibly express that deep impact before …
XO