Nik's friendly and vivacious spirit attracted all those who had the luck of being around him. I had the great fortune to know him young and have the privilege to be part of what would become a lifetime of adventures and stories lived in just 25 or so years.
From the crazy moments we spent at his fraternity house skiing over the snowy streets of Newark in our sneakers while towing behind a pickup truck to the introspective moments of deep reflection we spent on top of a sand dune in the hot desert or a top a volcano looking down at the clouds, Nik knew how to be a friend. He knew when to speak and when to be silent and let the moment convey it's meaning. He knew when to lift your spirits with dance and party, when to sit one-on-one with you and a beer helping you work out your problems and when a simple hug and pat on the back was what was needed.
All of my friends who met Nik took and instant liking to him. More friends than I can count built a independent friendship with Nik after spending some time with the two of us. While Nik was on a long visit to my home in Chile, I introduced him to many of my friends, and he touched them all. There are many people on the other side of oceans and mountains and continents grieving right now. Many of these are people who have never stepped foot in Nik's home country, but admire it because of its capable ambassador.
My young son loved 'tio Nit' and the daily walks we'd take together during Nik's stay with us. Nik wasn't above getting down on the floor and playing with him and talking to him. He used to tell me how he looked forward to his own little 'carbon unit' one day. I kept imagining how a little mini Niki might be, and that if he was half as cool as his dad, my son and he would be best friends too.
My only consolation is that Nik lived his last year to the full. After many years of dedicated hard work, he did what most people are too afraid to do: he went out on his own to really live life like it should be lived. He got to make lots of new friends, reconnect with and strengthen bonds with old friends, see parts of the world with breathtaking beauty, ancient history and real cultural significance. We should all be so brave to really live life, to experience the ups and downs, frights and exhilaration, joy and stillness that Nik was able achieve.
There are no words that can replace his presence or console the ineffable loss his family and the world now suffers. My dear friend Nik, you are loved and I promise your stories will live on - this and the next generation will carry you in our hearts always.