Konrad Dowling Memorial Bench in Central Park
Donation protected
Dear Friends of Konrad,
The overwhelming support and words of comfort you have given us these past 5 days is a true testament to what kind of man Konrad was. It is obvious now that he was loved not just by family and friends, but by work and business associates as well. I have read each and every post and my heart breaks knowing that he had such a positive influence on so many people.
In August, we spent 9 magnificent days in New York City. Konrad loved the city and running in Central Park. We would also go for walks around the park after dinner and just soak in the beauty of the scenery. On August 29th, we were walking and Konrad noticed the dedication plaques on the park benches. He told me that when he died, he wanted me to dedicate a bench to him. Konrad always said that he was going to live until he was 87, perhaps, in hopes that if he said it enough, it would come true. I told him that we didn’t need to wait until he died, we could dedicate a bench now. Little did we know what the future held.
So, to honor his wishes, we have set up a GoFundMe page to sponsor a bench in Central Park. Each bench costs $10,000. The park will allow me to select the location of the bench from those that are available, and it will provide comfort for us whenever we visit New York City. I will let you know the exact location of the bench in the park so if you are ever in the park, you can go and see it. If I am lucky, there will be one available in Strawberry Fields. As Konrad wished to be cremated and have his ashes scattered in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of his native Malta, this bench can also serve as our place of mourning. Many of you have asked where you could donate in his memory, and this would be an amazing gift that he would love. Any additional funds raised would be used to pay for the final semester of college for Sydney. She is a Senior at Babson College in Massachusetts.
I have attached several photos from our trip to New York showing Konrad enjoying the park and life in the city.
Martha, Chelsea, and Sydney
The overwhelming support and words of comfort you have given us these past 5 days is a true testament to what kind of man Konrad was. It is obvious now that he was loved not just by family and friends, but by work and business associates as well. I have read each and every post and my heart breaks knowing that he had such a positive influence on so many people.
In August, we spent 9 magnificent days in New York City. Konrad loved the city and running in Central Park. We would also go for walks around the park after dinner and just soak in the beauty of the scenery. On August 29th, we were walking and Konrad noticed the dedication plaques on the park benches. He told me that when he died, he wanted me to dedicate a bench to him. Konrad always said that he was going to live until he was 87, perhaps, in hopes that if he said it enough, it would come true. I told him that we didn’t need to wait until he died, we could dedicate a bench now. Little did we know what the future held.
So, to honor his wishes, we have set up a GoFundMe page to sponsor a bench in Central Park. Each bench costs $10,000. The park will allow me to select the location of the bench from those that are available, and it will provide comfort for us whenever we visit New York City. I will let you know the exact location of the bench in the park so if you are ever in the park, you can go and see it. If I am lucky, there will be one available in Strawberry Fields. As Konrad wished to be cremated and have his ashes scattered in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of his native Malta, this bench can also serve as our place of mourning. Many of you have asked where you could donate in his memory, and this would be an amazing gift that he would love. Any additional funds raised would be used to pay for the final semester of college for Sydney. She is a Senior at Babson College in Massachusetts.
I have attached several photos from our trip to New York showing Konrad enjoying the park and life in the city.
Martha, Chelsea, and Sydney
Organizer and beneficiary
Martha Blake
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Martha Blake
Beneficiary
