We all felt like we were Larry's pet.  He was so loving and generous to each of us.  When I was a very little girl, he bought me a Midge doll (which I preferred to Barbie, and he just magically knew which one to get),  and took me to movies or riding in his cool sports cars.  Eleven years older, he was my hero.  In high school he loaned me his corvette to take to school so that I could be "cool".  He also mediated between me and my parents when I thought they were being so unreasonable as to not let me have alcohol at a high school party.  We didn't drink a lot but it seemed important to "the crowd" to have alcohol.  I was so embarrassed because my parents were the "mean ones" while the other parents let their kids drink but Larry pointed out the benefits of having the party anyway. :-)  Yes, the kids came and Larry made it seem like it would be alright - and it was.   As an adult, he welcomed me, my friends, family into their home, got us "buddy passes" on Continental and did anything he could to help.  He did all kinds of favors, large and small from taking care of getting my car to the shop, to sharing a few hours of the last that he had to give before going back into MD Anderson for the stem cell transplant, by touring my friend/colleague around the Garden District so he would have a local's viewpoint.  He was always checking our flight reservations to make sure we had the best seats possible, knowing we didn't have time or really the knowledge, to figure all that out.  He would check who the flight crew was in case he knew them, so that we could have special treatment and so he could extend a friendly hello to people he used to work with. Larry loved Mardi Gras.  In 2013, his last healthy Mardi Gras, I will always appreciate and treasure that he and Prudence opened their home to Ashley and friends during her pre-wedding celebration so that our new out of state family and friends could all experience Mardi Gras together, and experience some Konikoff time.  I will always be so grateful that he and Prudence let me be so involved in his care not only to help, but to build important memories and deepen our adult relationship.  Larry exemplified courage in action by facing the scary unknown and while no one could do it for him, we did it together.  Important life lessons.  After he was cremated, he got to fly home in the cockpit of a 737, the plane that he used to fly,  thanks to his nephew who is also an airline pilot.  That was really his last flight. :-)  Larry would have loved that.  We can never convey our gratitude and love adequately to Prudence, his lovely wife and our dear sister of the heart, who was with him through every need in his life, and who during his illness, never left his side for longer than a few hours on occasion, despite our urgings.  All of the fine things that we say about Larry were supported fully and extended to us by Prudence as well - they were a heartfelt team.