On Getting Hit by a Bus

Rich Gaby will do anything to avoid working with me.

Two days into a new project, and several hours away from home, he went to the hospital with a sore calf and didn’t leave that building for the next six weeks. What followed were several more months of fighting leukemia that taught us a lot about Rich, his friends and family, our firm, and ourselves. Rich is an extraordinary human being with a story that keeps getting more interesting.

Those first tense weeks of his out-of-town hospital stay brought friends in from all over the United States. We all think we have friends, but how many of our friends would put their lives on hold to fly across the country to sit in a depressing hospital room for days on end…just so you wouldn’t be alone? Rich has real friends with staying power.

We anxiously awaited the daily and weekly “how’s Rich” updates from the many folks at Kalypso that made the trek to visit him. And we were thrilled when he attended his first firm event seven months after his diagnosis. I am often asked how the firm can maintain a collegial and family-like culture as we grow. Isn’t it as easy as hiring people that genuinely care about each other? We get to work with our closest friends every day and create life-long relationships with our colleagues. What a fantastic privilege!

Rich is now back and as strong as ever. He is helping his clients deliver on the promise of innovation. There is no question that Mr. Gaby is a Kalypso character with character. Here is what he says makes him unique.