Every now and then I have searched to see if I could find out what had become of the people who had briefly touched my life while studying at Williams College as a Freshman in 1982/1983. Today I found a picture of Keith. Then I found Sly on facebook and this inevitably led to me thinking of Regine.
Quite frankly I was not expecting to find this. Regine was a senior when I was a freshman and I am not sure why she stands out to me, except her outer beauty was eclipsed by her inner beauty.
I pulled out the Black magazine that we had published in May 1983 and was reminded of something I had forgotten....I worked with Regine as a layout editor for the magazine. That would mean we had to spend some time together. I never forgot her, but she will never know she touched my life.
So I have purposed today to make every effort to find those who made my short time at Williams more bearable and to give them "flowers" while there is still time, to let them know the difference they made to the life of a young woman from Bermuda who was so far from her island home.
Soft-spoken, gentle and kind, Regine could make most anyone feel comfortable
and safe. She was a great friend and confidant to me in those gloomy early
days at Williams, and I often took refuge in her dorm room where she plied
me with tea, fashion magazines and music.
Regine was liked by all; she was bright, thoughtful, and caring, a
combination that made it possible for her to remain strong in her opinions
without offending. I remember Regine's laugh as though I heard it just
yesterday...laughing was fun and Regine did a lot of it!
When I was lost, confused and lonely, Regine was there for me when I needed
her; always greeting me with a smile and her gentle manner; she was a
calming influence during my life's stormiest period. I am grateful for her
life and for the warm friendship she shared with me.
I met Regine almost 30 years ago, when she was 24 years old. She was then working for a large New York City accounting firm, but shortly thereafter began working at Morgan Stanley. Her hours there were very long. Often, rather than meeting up for dinner as planned, I would find myself at 10pm, picking her up at her office on 52nd St. and Sixth Avenue. In addition to being hard working and diligent, Regine was financially brilliant. At one point her boss tasked her with finding $560 million in missing funds. For about a month she worked round the clock, until two or three in the morning, and ultimately discovered the funds hidden in a real estate trust in the Channel Islands.
Sometime later, because of our desire to spend more time together, she left Morgan Stanley and served as the CFO of my growing start-up business, which was based in Harlem. Over time that business was sold, and another started. Working together so closely was an incredible experience for both of us. Our businesses thrived but more importantly we spent our days together, on the same schedule and involved in the same enterprise.
Regine was Haitian. In 1963 when she was just two years old (during the Papa Doc era) her father was forced to flee Haiti. After a stint in Brazil at the embassy there, her father moved the family to Queens, NY where Regine grew up. Her father had been a statistician but after arriving in New York City he worked for the MTA.
Regine excelled in public school, often mentoring other students and encouraging her brother Phil in his studies. She loved education and set very high standards for herself. With her self-imposed intellectual rigor and high performance on her SATs, she was awarded a merit scholarship. Regine carefully researched potential colleges. Her brother told me that she was accepted at many, including Harvard, but wanted a small school and chose Williams College.
In contrast, I had only an eighth grade formal education but had educated myself through reading and other means. Regine and I did well together, and our life included our home in Manhattan as well as a weekend getaway house located a few hours north of the city in upstate New York. We enjoyed renovating this property and took occasional nostalgic road trips from there to Williamstown. We traveled frequently and enjoyed exploring new and exotic territory as well as revisiting our favorite places.
Regine was an angel. Everyone who remembers her recalls her lilting laugh, her radiant smile. She was democratic in her friendships and though personally deeply private, she was immediately accessible to any friend in need. She was greatly loved. Even the mailman broke down in tears when hearing of her untimely death. She was generous with her love and attention, modest about her intelligence and accomplishments, playful and joyous, complicated and resilient, charming and resolute. We will love and miss her always.
