My dear brother,

I had a dream last night. You are sitting across the table from me drinking endless amounts of tea. I had a dream last night. You are 11, it’s New Years Eve and you are determined to show me and Natasha Kotlyar that you could walk on your hands for at least a half an hour straight. We did not believe you at first, but as always you proved us wrong.

You were determined in every aspect of your life; determined to succeed and to overcome any obstacle that came your way. No one can deny your natural abilities. There was gymnastics, tennis, football, which turned into your pursuit of rugby as Syracuse University. Although sports and athleticism were always a huge part of your life, the pursuit of knowledge is what truly drove you. In your sophomore year, you made the decision to major in journalism. Over the summer, you worked at a local newspaper gaining first-hand experience, and crafting your writing skills even further. However, journalism did not fully satisfy your craving. You had always been interested in history and politics, reading and writing as much as you could to enlarge your global perspective. Ultimately, you decided to switch to political science. When the acceptance from American University came your face lit up with excitement and joy. Now you would enter a three year grueling process, otherwise known as Law School. However, for someone as gifted as you one degree was not enough; International relations was added into the mix. Your time spent in Washington was challenging but the hard work ahead of you and the struggle to conquer this goal would not deter you.You were not just an average student pursuing a career not simply for profit, but rather for the greater good.

You never let me down, constantly reiterating how proud you were of me. So many people were touched and affected by your presence, your opinions, your advice and your sincere affection. Whether it was the multitude of friends you had made over the years, from high school to college and finally in Law School, you valued each and every single friendship. It is hard to encompass the many idiosyncrasies, inside jokes, looks, laugh’s and cries we shared with one another and the ones you shared with the world. The connections you made in your 25 years will never be taken for granted, whether friends or family, you made a huge impact in so many people’s lives. I love you with every inch of my soul. I wish we had more time but the memories we made with one another will drive me for the rest of my life. You are more apart of me than any other human being and your spirit will live through every handshake, every step and every breath that I take.

Здравствуй Севка!

Уже скоро два месяца как мы расстались. Безумно больно и страшно. Так больно, что казалось и не выжить. Выжил. Жизнь разделилась надвое: жизнь до и после Севки. До - один мир, теперь - другой. Это очевидно. Так оставим это.

А поговорить я хотел о другом. Я, твой папа, гордился и завидовал тебе. Завидовал твоей бескомпромиссности, смелости в отстаивании своей точки зрения, способности драться, именно драться с противником, невзирая на численное превосходство и превосходство в силе. Завидовал, гордился и ненавидел. Ненавидел, потому что боялся, боялся, что что-то может случиться, что эта бескомпромиссность обернётся против тебя. Боялся, потому что этот страх был посеян во мне с детства, и, слава Богу, не был присущ тебе никогда. Ты не боялся. Казалось, мы всё прошли: тюрьму (короткую, но ведь было). Своих, в которых верил, но которые отвернулись. Севка, вспомни собрание в college!

Армия. Ну, это отдельно. Ты был готов. Господи, как ты был физически готов! Пробежать Ocean PKWY до Ave. Z за время на 15 минут дольше чем я потратил на машине. Да, ты был готов. Но не готов морально! Ты не был готов орать "ура" на занятиях, сильно напоминавших политзанятия в Советской Армии. Ты никогда не был готов "стучать" на своих ребят, но был готов дать прикладом по морде сержанту, когда он издевается. Это был Сева. Это ты будешь стоять один на один на автостоянке ночью, окруженный толпой подонков, готовых избить, только потому,что встал и заступился за друга. Один. Это был Сева. Это был ты, Сева, который врезал по морде антисемиту, папе девочки, которой ты нравился. Севка, сын мой! Я старался, видит Бог, уберечь тебя. Когда ты пришел из армии, и я увидел эти безумные глаза - точки, то понял, что надо лечить. Как? Рюмка водки, сон, еда и снова... И ты ожил, не сразу, но ожил. Как я ликовал - всё, всё позади: тюрьма, предательство, армия. Живём! Ну да, всё позади, но не понял - есть хуже, страшнее, от этого не спасёшь, грудь не подставишь. Слово "смерть".

Последние годы мы стали друзьями, не было разницы в годах. Мы говорили на одном языке, любили одно и то же, так же как и ненавидели и презирали одно и то же... Просто ты был моложе, сильнее и умнее. И я не завидовал твоей силе, молодости, уму. Я гордился тобой. Не суждено, тошно, обидно, но так тому и быть. Точка. Запятых не будет. Точка. Посылаю тебе моё благословение. Молю Бога о твоём покое, благо ты достоен и мира, и покоя. Достоин более, чем кто-либо, прожив столь яркую и достойную жизнь.

Сыночка, мой любимый, это письмо без адреса, это письмо к твоей душе. Мне остаётся повторять снова и снова, Севочка мой любимый и единственный. Жизнь будет продолжаться. И десять, и двадцать, и тридцать лет. Всю жизнь. Больше сказать нечего.

Твой Папа.

He met me at the hotel the last day of my law trip. I was feeling mildly nostalgic about losing these newly acquired (and subsequently, quickly lost) friends. All the same, I was anxious for his arrival—he never failed to create an impression, or at least I expected him to, for he was a contradiction—an intelligent jock, stoic yet emotional, loving yet incapable of listening. Willingly or unwillingly, he created not a good impression or a bad one, but one that left a mark, a stamp in your mind of warmth, controversial opinion and an endless fountain of intelligent, if not always well-thought out, words.

And so, after many confused phone calls about date and place and time, and what was that time again?, he managed to cross the hotel’s grand entrance. If this had been a script, I would have called for a fan blowing his hair back as he strutted to the slow motion sounds of that perennially cool “Armageddon” song. He wore a short leather bomber jacket with Adidas-knockoff stripes running down the sides. Coupled with his TV reporter hair and his black dress shoes, my cousin looked like he had just come out of the late seventies.  

In he came, and up I jumped, slightly, if foolishly embarrassed by his attire. We hugged, he gave me his usual resounding kiss on the head—the kind of loud “muah” that Mr. Brady would give Mrs. Brady as he left for the office in the morning. With that, I said my barely heard goodbyes and we headed to the car.

The skies were deceptively clear for the air outside was freezing, making the walk to the car seem much longer than necessary. Yet, in the end, I saw his teal Chevy Lumina—the kind of car that would have been a rental ten years ago. This too was yet another aspect of his idiosyncrasy: given his good looks and his athleticism, it was hard to imagine that he had no concept of vanity. Yet what mattered to him was that the car had an engine and drove. The rest was a waste of money.

“So, how was the program? What’d you do?”

I hesitated, but the answer to that expected question had already crystallized in my mind, “Well…uh…I realized that I can never be a lawyer. It’s too much of a compromise between your ideals and the needs of your client.”

“Mhm.”

            I had expected him to react less comatosely to my obviously profound statement. But that was all he had to say. This noise would become the soundtrack of the day’s conversation. Seva was no good listener—the typical guy, in that respect, to whom a nagging girlfriend would whine about his insensitivity and carelessness.

            I braved on. “We learned a lot though. And it was fun. We got to meet Scalia (I hoped to impress him with this fact) and visit George Washington Law School to do a Supreme Court simulation.”

            The response that blossomed from that comment would become one of the themes that bound our day’s banter: the mention of Scalia elicited the one-word answer, “tool,” a word subsequently seemingly repeated without fail whenever any of his law school colleagues would pass by. Touching upon a law school (George Washington) triggered the inevitable in-depth analysis of the hell of law school and the reasons for which I should attend it despite the less than positive review of the experience.

            “You know, Katya, in law (pronounced with a Brooklyn accent, which tinged all of his speech) school, you’re going to work a lot. It’s hard work.” This was the preface. I had heard it from him, from my brother once, and many times from my grandmother who had heard of the strain of law school from Seva himself. Seva was not one to pity himself, he was just so shocked that he actually had to work (!) in school, that he had spread the news to the family.

“My first year I worked so much. I read so much. Honestly, (always pronounced with a bit of a question mark at the end) I don’t know what I did in college. Seriously, (also punctuated with a question) I think all I did was get drunk and do stupid shit like steal a boat…”

This story had entered family lore. Since exaggeration is an integral part of any story, I’m not sure that the version I have is entirely correct, but basically, with his frat, Seva stole a boat from Canada and sailed it to the U.S. Already problematic. At the same time, they were getting their citizenship. And he decided to change his name. As a result, he received his citizenship a year later than the rest of the family. But as my mom says, every person is a style. And if it wasn’t complicated, it wasn’t Seva.

“…I think I wasted a lot of time there. Don’t do that.”

It was ironic to hear this introspection and wisdom from a guy who, just three years prior remarked, upon graduating “the ‘Cuse,”(Syracuse University), that, in retrospect, he could have slept with a lot more girls there.

“OK Seva, I know.”

“Mhm. Yeah, but whatever, frats are a waste of time. But you’re a smart girl. Smart, smart, smart.”

This expression harkened back to 2003 when his family, minus his sister Zheka, had come to visit us in California for my mom’s 50^th birthday. Being the avid reader that he was, Seva was the perfect candidate to read my 8^th grade, 15 page paper about the Fifties. Yet what impressed him the most was that I read “The New Yorker.” Once he learned that, he latched onto it like a mantra and proceeded to repeat the words “smart, smart, smart” ad nauseam. He liked to grab on to ideas, experiences, and words like that—recycling them in his mind constantly. That summer, the song on repeat in his head was his brief but extremely memorable stint in the Marines. None of his interlocutors were spared a litany on the stupidity and brutality of the army. Yet for all his disgruntlement, it was obvious that the rigidity had fascinated him. Seva was not a light-hearted guy—he went all in, and staunchly believed and defended his ideals. And in this way, a perfect soldier. Unfortunately for the army, the ideals he defended starkly contrasted with those valued by the military. And obviously, you can’t hate the army, and be vocal about it and stay in, so his Marines visit was kept brief.

Back in the Lumina-mobile, the arc of the conversation had traversed the gamut of topics from law school to the tools that go to law school to his recent ex-girlfriend who was too ambitious about law school, with a few interruptions from me that were mercifully ignored. We arrived at American University: I was doing the traditional college tour and asked Seva to take me to visit it.

Maybe it was the deceptive weather that made me spiteful or maybe it was Seva’s biased narration, but the college did not please me. Wide open desolate fields with unwelcoming and aesthetically unpleasing buildings aren’t an acceptable background to the college experience. The depressing landscape did add to my appetite though, so we went to eat at a Mexican restaurant.

On the way there, Seva remarked, “Honestly, I expected you to act like one of those teenagers. Like stupid, you know?”

“Well, thank you. I’m glad I didn’t act according to plan.”

“Seriously, when you came for my dad’s fiftieth, you were so immature. Gossiping. But now, I can really talk to you and we have what, a 9 year difference?”

I liked the compliment but it had stepped to the background. It was outrageous that Seva should comment on my immaturity when I remembered that summer he visited us in 1994. I was four, and he was 13. Despite the significant age difference, we communicated on the same level—mine.

“I was not immature. We totally bonded then while watching that James Bond marathon.”

“Whatever, you know?” A pause “You know Katya, I want to invite you to my law school graduation. It would mean a lot to me if you came.”

I doubted I would come, and I was especially afraid, for some reason, of going alone.

“Well, you’re probably inviting the rest of my family too, right?”

“I mean of course. Mayka and Tetya Lena and Dyadya Sasha. But I am extending this invitation to you personally. I want you to come especially. I mean, I can actually hang out with you, and talk like this, you know?”

It was hard to call his rarely interrupted monologue a “talk” but I was still flattered. For some reason, I always strove to impress him, and I always wanted him to spend time with me and like me. I don’t know where this need stemmed from considering that Seva, being the warm and unconditionally accepting person that he was, would always love me. It had something to do with the fact that, on our side of the family, Seva was something of an exotic myth—athletic, argumentative, and committed to whatever he believed in.

Later that day, we went to his apartment. It looked pretty empty and had the just-moved-in feeling, but for Seva, it was enough. Just the bare essentials for his survival: a prolific amount of books, a cot, some cereal in the kitchen, a TV, and expensive cologne, which I sincerely doubt he bought himself. My feet being cold, he gave me some huge socks. Later, despite my post-meal sleepiness, we went to Georgetown to try to get him a blanket. Somehow, we managed not to find one anywhere. He was getting melancholy—maybe I think so now, after 5 months; maybe it was the quickly falling dusk; maybe he really was feeling lonely, but Seva was lacking all the exaggeration that he usually carried with him. Acting like an adult as he asked for directions and information, Seva came off more as a child, and a lost one at that.

Later, he took me to Union Station, bought me a ticket, and still later, we hugged and kissed each other on the cheek, before he left to go study some more.

Strange to think that that was the last time I would see him. Mhm.

For Ves

You don’t expect the star and the smoldering ember that burn the brightest to be the first to fade. So it is that much more shocking to know that Ves is gone. But that is how I will remember him; burning brightly, full of life, and forever that way in my mind.

I remember Ves. I feel grateful that he and I both ended up working together our first summer at Kohn, Kohn, and Colapinto, doing whistleblower cases. I hadn’t met him our first year even though we were both at Washington College of Law. He acted as though we were old friends that first week; we talked about politics and life, Israel and Russia, New York and DC. I always knew however strongly we argued about issues that he would respect the ability to debate without taking offense, and our intellectual sparring and friendship was that much deeper because we could be so real with each other.

And he was such a real, genuine person, and genuinely giving and kind. One day I was desperately late to meet up with a friend in Adams Morgan. As I was trying to catch a bus or cab on Mass Ave, he pulled up and asked if I needed a ride. It was as if someone had sent me a favor in the form of Ves, and he happily went way out of his way to drop me off. I think of Ves now as that favor we were all given, to have him in our lives.

At the firm, it was impossible not to enjoy his presence and spirit. As a friend and fellow summer associate Alex Young put it : "I always loved his upbeatness, his positive attitude, and his being comfortable with being his gregarious self. He always seemed to light up the room with his energy and his humor. I’m going to miss him."

One of the partners who worked closest with him as his supervising attorney, David Colapinto, put it this way, "Everyone in the office – the other students, staff and lawyers – enjoyed working with Ves as well as his sense of humor…We will always remember Ves as a very kind and friendly person and hard working student." I came to rely on the fact that I would bump into Ves at the library or at the Gym, and we would catch up with each other. He was that friendly face that you are happy to see, because he is so happy to see you. One of the saddest things about his passing is realizing how much I took that friendship for granted, and how desperately I wish that we could talk just that one last time, if only to say goodbye to my friend. I had a friend in college pass away my senior year; he was another young man of intense energy and who loved to climb and enjoy the mountains. He has stayed with me in my mind like a traveling companion through life. I will take Ves with me on my journey too, and be grateful for the time I had with him. And I thank his family for creating such a pure heart whose life enriched my own. Rest in peace buddy. You are not forgotten.

In loving memory,

Aaron Lloyd

Милый мальчик...
А впрочем, не мальчик. В свои двадцать пять
Ты ушел не ребенком, не юношей – взрослым мужчиной…
Но не видел тебя я последние несколько лет
Память образ мальчишки хранит,
И в этом, как видно, причина.

Я тебя вспоминаю
Мальчишкой, читавшим взахлеб,
Огорчившим родителей в двери пробитой дырою,
А про взрослого Севку я знаю, увы, лишь со слов,
С фотографий, где детский твой облик проступает порою.

Было трудно тебе. Было трудно принять этот мир,
Где царит здравый смысл, где собой оставаться непросто.
С компромиссами было бы легче...
Но был ты по крови из тех,
Кто, не зная сомнений, всегда выходили на площадь.

Ты и умер, как жил – на бегу,
Не дожив до седин,
Не усвоивши истин фальшивых
Для тебя мир остался, как был – черно-белым…
И мне хочется верить, что ушел ты счастливым.

Что же, наши неспоры до ночи, до хрипа с тобой
Добавляют еще свою толику к этой потере.
Что же мне остается? Стоять и курить на ветру,
Повторяя беззвучно – не верю, не верю, не верю…

17-го апреля 2006 г.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Vorobyev,

I wanted to take this opportunity to send you my deepest condolences. I first met Ves back in Syracuse, we became friends quickly, and although he loved to debate issues with me regarding politics, I always enjoyed both his outlook on life and his candor. I graduated a year before Ves, and had the pleasure of seeing him again in Law School. He was a year behind me at the Washington College of Law. Every time I would run into him in the library his first year he would always be fretting, he wanted to be the best, and was so frustrated that Law School was proving difficult. I remember him as always the last to leave the library each and every night. I recall numerous occasions in which he would see me waiting for the bus and he would stop to give me a ride. Ves was not only extremely generous but intelligent. I recall telling him to take it easy, that Law School wasn’t a sprint, but he would not be daunted. I guess that is what I admired most about Ves: his passion. Not only in the law, but in politics, and specifically ethics. Your son touched so many in his short time, and I was not spared. The last time I saw him was this past February as I was studying for my second Bar Exam in the library. He was wearing that white shirt he always wore and talking on the phone, as I passed him to make my way to the printers; he motioned to come talk to him after I was done so we could catch up. I must have taken too long, because when I returned he was already gone. I regret that missed opportunity to catch up on each others lives; I wanted to hear about his plans upon graduation, and it was with great pleasure I heard that he had been expecting to prosecute next year. Ves was truly one of those people who lived for others, who believed that service was more important than money. Ves will not soon be forgotten as he left many a footprint in the lives of those around him, including me.

I will always keep your family and Ves in my prayers.

Tessy Casafranca

Dear Сева,

If I could see you again I would tell you how much I always admired you. I would tell you how I always spoke to my friends about you, how I am always in constant awe of your intelligence and your thirst for knowledge. If we could speak again, I would reminisce and laugh with you about the time we were in Killington. The night I drank too much wine and you chased me around in the woods for three hours. The night I kept throwing you into mounds of snow. The night I kept asking you to hold my hand so that I didn't fall. The night you had to drag me home by my arms because I could no longer stand. The night I realized what a fun and unique person you were. To me, this night was the night that we renewed our friendship as adults, it was the night I saw you in a different light. If I could speak to you again, I would want to talk about that night.

If I had a chance to tell you a secret, I would tell you that the weekend I chose to see "hairspray" and you happened to be home was not a coincidence. If I could just have the chance to tell you a secret, I would tell you that I planned for it to happen that way because I wanted to spend more time with you. I wanted to get to know you even better. I would tell you how excited I was to hear what you had to say about the show when it was over. I would tell you how much I valued your opinions and how much I enjoyed discussing my classes with you because you always gave me something to think about. You always put your own twist on everything. If you could hear me, I would tell you how much I respect your individuality and strength, and I would tell you that I will keep you in my memory forever and always draw strength from you.

At night I think about the last time we saw each other, you were helping me move out of my DC apartment, I have this clear image of your face and I can still hear your voice and recall our conversation in its entirety. At night I think about looking back into the car as I got out, the last time I ever got to look at you, and I have this image of your eyes - so captivating, and your face smiling, and I can hear your voice telling me not to worry, and that I had a bright future ahead of me and how you were sure you would see me again soon. If I could see you again, I would tell you that you had the most beautiful eyes that I have ever seen.

С красной строки

Моим самым старым друзьям
в память о Севе Лившице

Мать сказала матери:
«Доченька, ты справишься,
Дети словно птицы -
Все летят, летят.
Выросли родимые,
И судьбой незримою,
И судьбой ведомою
Птицы перелетные,
Гости мимолетные,
В даль свою летят».

Муж склонился к матери:
«Сына мы утратили,
Ветра улетевшего -
Не вернуть назад.
Не о том мечтали мы,
Не о том гадали мы:
На зарю отправили -
Вышло на закат».

Дочь сказала матери:
«С братом старшим ладили,
Долгими ночами
Все с ним говорю.
На дорогу братику,
Дальнюю дороженьку,
Я слова заветные
Про любовь навечную,
Про прощанье светлое
Тихо повторю».

Сын приснился матери:
«Жизнь прожил не начерно,
Нацело и начисто,
С белого листа.
Красной строчкой вымысел,
Скорописью  выписал,
Прежде чем судьба к себе
Зовом позвала».

Зов промолвил матери:
«Судьбы не каратели,
Звездный луч не губит-
За собой ведет.
Тебе гордость выпала -
Орла-сына выкормить,
Тебе участь выпала
Видеть весь полет».

Навсегда повенчаны
Ветром скоротечности
Жизнь и смерть единую
Сагу создадут.
Зов услышав вечности,
Наши прежде близкие,
Наши прежде самые,
Наши вечно самые
К звездам ясносветящим
По лучу сойдут.

Dear Mrs. / Mr. Vorobyev:

I was in Ves's Wednesday clinic seminar this semester. Both of us had prosecution placements in Anne Arundel County; he was in Circuit Court, I was in District Court. Ves and I were acquaintances: we said hi in the halls at school and I spoke to him at nearly every clinic seminar. He seemed pretty easy going, easy to get a long with, laid back, genuine . . .

The last couple of times I talked to him, I remember asking his opinion on what Circuit Court was like and if the people were friendly. He had mentioned to me the prosecution job he had applied for in Miami - and I thought that was so cool and great for him and we briefly spoke about it; he seemed happy, excited, maybe a little nervous about starting a new job as a lawyer. . . I am so saddened and feel so awful about what has happened; all I can do is send my condolences and say how sorry I am. I'm not sure if this is a strange thing to say, but Ves will remain with me in my memory.

Again, I am so sorry.

Sincerely, Jennifer Machian (law school classmate)

Привет Севка...

Знаешь, я уже две недели пытаюсь собраться с мыслями и всё тщетно. Два слова вырвать из груди не могу, хотя слов-то много.

Вспоминается один момент из жизни. Ты, твой папа, мой папа и я поехали играть в баскетбол. Мне тогда было не больше четырнадцати, а тебе должно быть только пятнадцать стукнуло. Играли мы семьями, и если бы не мой папа игра бы быстро превратилась в полный разгром. Ты бросал почти без промаха и "держать" тебя я не мог. Я же не больше раза в корзину попал. Я помню ты подошёл ко мне и вместо того чтобы как-то выставить напоказ своё явное превосходство, просто начал мне помогать с броском. Ты уже тогда умел выигрывать и не позволял себе добивать "лежачего." Потом, когда мы уже играли на равных (не в баскетбол - тут я тебя не смог догнать), ты всегда отдавал должное как победителю так и побеждённому.

Севка, мы жили в одном доме много лет. Мы делились и плохим и хорошим - идеями, рассказами, историями. Мы спорили, боролись, соревновались, праздновали дни рождения, новый год. Мы вместе смотрели вперёд. Ты всегда был готов помочь, успокоить или просто разделить непростую минуту. Ты всегда гордился достижениями своих друзей, зачастую умалчивая о своих. Севка, мы все тоже гордились тобой...и всегда будем гордиться...

Женя

Dear Ms. Vorobyeva,

I was deeply shocked to hear about Ves’s untimely death. I am still trying to recover. He was a student of mine and he seemed to enjoy the subject at the beginning. In the last few sessions he seemed a little destructed but told me that he was overwhelmed by other course work. He was elated about his appointment in Miami which told me that he was exceptional. He had a good leagal mind and if always wanted to explain.
I will miss Ves in my class.

Deepest sympathies,

Srilal Perera.

Dear Nina and Alex,

Thank you so much for opening your home to me. Ves was one of my best friends at Syracuse. He and I had a very close bond that allowed us to drift in and out of each others' lives throughout college and after. We would spend our time together having conversations about things that I couldn't talk about with my sorority sisters or other friends. He helped me process some very important events in my life, and helped me make sense of my thoughts and feelings in an environment that did not always allow me to express myself freely. He let me be myself and made me feel so comfortable. Ves and I dated for a while, but we realized we would be better off as friends. But this did not mean that we were any less close. The best date I went on in college was with Ves, two years after we stopped dating! He rescued me from another typical Friday afternoon on campus and took me to a really nice restaurant downtown. There was nothing special or unique about the dinner date, but we had so much fun together talking and being totally oblivious to everything around us! I realized that night that I could be totally candid and cool. He made me feel so beautiful and warm. It is very difficult to describe how important Ves is to me or to express the impact he has had on me. We would often run into each other at parties and would spend the entire night sitting on the front steps of the host's house talking and being in our own world together. I knew when I left Syracuse after graduation that I would see him again and we would keep in touch for a very long time. I will miss him very much and will always think so fondly of him. I look forward to seeing you both again, either in New York or California.

~Renee

Dear Dr. and Mrs. Vorobyev,

I, like everyone else touched by Ves, was shocked and deeply saddened to learn about his passing. As a member of Ves's first year law school section, I had the opportunity to experience his passion and fervor. Not only was he an incredibly intelligent young man, but a true and kind soul. He always had a kind word and a smile. He became part of my lawschool experience. A part I will never forget.

Please know that you are in my thoughts during this time. My deepest sympathies are with you and your family.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Tripodi
Classmate of Ves

Mrs. Vorobyeva,

I am glad I got to speak with you briefly on Sunday at Ves’s funeral, but over the past few days I have felt there is so much more I have to say about your wonderful son.

I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child, as the sadness of losing a classmate and friend has been overwhelming. I hope it helps a little to know Ves was a valued part of our law school community and a great friend to many of us. It was a horrible shock to hear Ves was gone and past week has been very difficult for all of us who had the great fortune to know him. I was in Ves’s first year section at WCL and I also spent a lot of time with him socially. He was one of the a small handful of people I counted as my good friends that year and we had a lot of really fun times together. One of my favorite things about Ves was how well he knew himself and his beliefs – people like that are surprisingly rare, even in law school. He also gave you the feeling that if he spent time with you, it was because you had earned his respect and he valued your thoughts, opinios and friendship. I feel that I was one of those people, which made my respect for Ves even more significant.

Unfortunately, I became quite ill during our second year and I missed a lot of school as well as social gatherings. Ves and I did not see very much of one another and we never got the opportunity to recover as friends. All of us will miss Ves in many different ways, but perhaps my greatest loss is not getting to become good friend again with Ves. All of my memories of Ves make me smile, but a lot of them also make me thoughtful, but above all he could be counted on to lift your mood and to open your mind about any number of very unique among the people I have known in my life.

Ves was among friends at WCL these past three years, Even though I had been out of touch with him recently, I always felt he was the type of person who would be a great friend for many years to come. It is so unfortunate that he left all of us, far too soon. I know that I will always consider it a gift that Ves was a part of my life, even for such a seemingly brief period of time. He was a wonderful friend and a great person; that is how will always remember him. My thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time. I wish to offer my deepest sympathy to all of your loved ones.

Sincerely,

Ashly Yates

Dear Mrs. Vorobyeva:

I am writing to express our deepest sympathies regarding you’re the loss of your son, Ves who law student intern with the National Whistleblower Center during the summer of 2004. I was Ves’s supervising attorney and worked with him every day during his internship. Ves was a fine young man, and outstanding intern, and a very intelligent and hard working law student who performed great work assisting us on many Whistleblower cases. He also made many friends while he was here. Everyone in the office – the other students, staff and lawyers – enjoyed working with Ves as well as his sense of humor. Just a couple of weeks ago, by chance I happened to bump into Ves at the local deli, he was very excited about graduating and looking forward to starting his legal career. All of us, including former students, who worked with and new Ves from the summer of 2004 were deeply saddened to hear this terrible news. We will always remember Ves as a very kind and friendly person and hard working student. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Very Truly Yours,

David K. Colapinto

Dear Vorobyev family,

I extend to you my most sincere condolences in the loss of Ves. I was a classmate of his at the law school & his & I took a number of classes together. We were both interested in international business & had shared interesting perspectives concerning the field. I always found Ves to be thoughtful & creative, & I looked forward to his comments & insights during class, & in the debates that continued outside of the classroom. I know he would have added so much to the legal profession & for that, the entire community shares in your loss. At the start of this semester Ves gave me a lot of advice on what classes to take. When my books hadn’t arrived on time he let me borrow his without hesitation. Your son was such a genuine person & a loyal friend. I share in your grief at the untimely death of such an intelligent & promissing individual. I will keep you in my thoughts & prayers. Ves will not be soon forgetten.

Most Sincerely,

Lisa Pettinati

Nina,

Hi, it was nice to hear from you. I would be glad to be included on the website, I think it is a great idea. I know that I have certainly been thinking of Ves quite a bit, as have others here in D.C. I remember so many things from living with him my first year here in law school. From the first I ever met him, when I came to DC for the first time in my life from Arizona. Ves was nice enough to go all the way down to the airport to pick me up, even though he wasn't much more familiar with the city than I was. He even parked and met me inside as I came out of the gate, and drove me everywhere those 2 days I was here. These are minor things I know, but taken as a whole they showed me what kind of person he was, and you get a feeling about someone when you first meet them. It is hard to describe, but I got that good feeling from Ves from the moment I met him.

I particularly remember how he talked about his family, and he had told me how hard his dad had worked here in this country; you could tell that he felt proud. He shared pictures with me from college, life-guarding, boxing, and New York and I remember going jogging with him too in the track near our apartment. He worked very hard, studying into the night when I had already quit and gone to bed, and then giving me a ride to school with him in the morning when my car got broken into.

I was felt sort of worried when I first knew Ves and decided to live with him, because I am gay and I worried that he might judge me. But in the end it was Ves who started the conversation on it with me, and I was relieved by how kind he was to me. Afterward, it seemed that I was the one who pre-judged Ves because I had assumed certain things about him and that he might treat me differently. He didn't. He chose to see me for who I am and I respected how honestly he talked with me about it. I remember he could talk about everything; Israel, civil rights, college life, parties, politics, health, America. We agreed a lot and disagreed a lot, but it was always interesting to hear him.

I remember like it was this morning the last time I saw Ves as I was walking to the school. He was standing in front of the law school smoking a cigarette and wearing a plain white T-shirt, and that brown leather jacket that he always wore. He stood next to the fountain and the wind kept blowing the cigarette smoke toward him so he had to keep turning his head, and his image was quite powerful and it continues in my mind. It is very hard even as I write this letter now.

I am attaching a photo of Ves with some friends from the law school. It was taken over the summer at a friend Elaine's house, just a small gathering of people getting together and having a few drinks and hanging out, but I thought you might appreciate it. I think I may have more on my computer at home and I'll look for them to send to you if I have any. Please know that Ves had a tremendous impact on everyone's life that he knew, and he will be remembered warmly.

Sincerely,

Gabriel Soto

Dear Dr. and Mrs. Vorobyeva –

It is difficult to come up with the words to express how sorry I feel for your loss, the loss of one of my good friends. I want to describe to you who Ves was to me, and how happy I was to have such a good friend.When I think of Ves, the best word that comes to mind is genuine.

Ves never hid who he was to fit in or to make his time at WCL run more smoothly. He was probably the only person I ever met who didn’t keep some sort of guard up at all times in an attempt to fit some sort of mould. With Ves, it was like, “This is who I am, take me or leave me, but I’m not gonna change for anyone.” No matter whether person liked him or didn’t like him. They all respected him for that. Ves was genuine at all times, even when we were discussing something pointless, he always wanted to hear my point and listening to everything I had to say. It was never a “Hey, how ya doin’” out of politeness, he really wanted to know how I was doing, or what I thought about certain things. Ves was always a spark that kept our group together. Whether he was rounding us all up to go out, sending emails ripping on a teacher, or complaining about all the “Nerds”, he made sure that we all stayed close. We have all been reminiscing about all the good Ves stories over the last few days. My favorite times with Ves were all the one-on-one basketball games we played against each other. Not for the athletic part of it, but because we would talk the whole time we played, about school (which we always complained about), about life, about girls, about the future, about everything. But I always felt that although we were talking about a myriad of things, we really saying “Hey, you’re just like me, and I‘m just like you, and no matter what the future holds for us, we will always have this bond.” I took comfort in that, and know that for the rest of my life, when I step on a basketball court, I’ll say “Hey, good to see ya, Ves”, and he’ll say “you too, so how are things?” and he’ll listen to everything I have to say… before going into ripping on how many nerds there are around. I feel very lucky to have met Ves, and become such good buddies over the last three years. You raised an incredible son, and I am a very grateful to have had him be a part of my life.

Sincerely,

Rob Rengel

Mrs. Vorobyeva,

I would like to express my deepest condolences to you and your family during this time of sorrow over Ves’s passing. I am a classmate of Ves at law school, and we will all miss him very much. My strongest memories of Ves are from a class we took together, International Humanitarian Law. Ves was very passionate about the subject, and was always impressing me with his insightful questions and original answers. As I am going into a career in humanitarian law, I am sure that I will constantly be thinking of Ves and I will always be inspired by him.

I hope you know that many people cared about Ves and touched many people’s lives. Please, let me know if I can do anything to help your family.

- Katharine Brown

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Vorobyev,

To express sympathy in the loss of your loved one…and to let you know that many thoughts are with you. We were in the same section as Ves during the first year of law school, and he always brought a sense of honor to the classroom. We will miss him.

Our thoughts are with you and your family.

Warmest wishes,

Jamie Stulin & Phil Schriber

Dear Vorobyev Family,

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Ves was a wonderful person and a good friend. He always took the time to genuinely listen and find out what was going on in my life. I knew some people who went to his high school and college so we bonded from the beginning. He was one of the few people I always enjoyed seeing at school, whether it was taking a long break from the library or working out together at the gym.
Ves and I had all the same classes our first year and also had some classes together last year. He was really fascinated by International Humanitarian Law (Law of War). One of my favorite memories is from our first year when a group of eight of us had to form a “law firm” and give a presentation in a mock trial. Ves and I represented the group, and I introduced us both. When practicing, I struggled most with pronouncing his last name – even though it shouldn’t have been hard and he gold me how to say it a 1000 times. On that day, he did a fantastic job and earned new respect from everyone present, even though I still stumbled over his last name and probably still didn’t get it right! It became our running joke through school.
Now I look fondly on all the wonderful, and humorous, moments. It was an honor to have been his friend.

Ellee Walker

With deepest Sympathy Mr. & Mrs. Vorobyev –

I met Ves on my first day of Law School We spent a lot of time together our first year working on assignments for our Legal Writing class. Although we were assigned to work together because our last names were near each other in the alphabet – Ves became a friend. He often spoke fondly of his family and of you, his parents. He told me how you left Russia, your friends and family, to give your children better opportunities. He was proud and grateful of your strength and courage. May that same strength comfort you in this most terribly sad time. Ves will be remembered by his great spirit. He always found a way to make me laugh and I was always impressed by his intelligence. In Law School you meet a lot of intelligent people – but Ves stood out to me. His intelligence came naturally to him, almost effortlessly. He was a unique person that always spoke his mind – and had an opinion about almost every subject we discussed. I will remember your son with fondness – his bright spirit will remain with me.

I know words cannot express how great this loss is. May you be comforted to know Ves was loved by so many people.

In deepest Sympathy

Kimberly Waletich

Law School friend of Ves

Dear Mrs. Vorobyeva,

Words cannot adequately express how sorry I am about Ves’s passing. I knew Ves from Section 5, and although we did not have classes together after first year, I would always seem to run into him at school – mostly on the first floor of the library in between classes. He would always say “hello” and a few words – he was always very kind – that is how I’ll remember him. Please accept my deepest condolences and know that your son meant so much to our class and the entire WCL community.

Sincere,

Sioban Reyes

Dear Vorobyev family,

My name is Emily Nugent and I shared a small seminar class with Ves last semester, The Constitution in Times of Crisis. As a classmate, Ves was engaged and helpful to the rest of us, calling on his knowledge of international humanitarian law to explain the complexities of the military detainee cases we were reading – complexities that I never understood. Outside class, Ves and I would stop and chat when we saw each other. We both played rugby and shared the same position, scrumhalf. Because we shared that interest and took the same approach to school, I felt a kinship with Ves. I am thankful for his presence in my life. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is anything I can do for you during this time. Ves and your family are in my thoughts and my heart. Take good care of yourselves.

Emily

The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct require that lawyers be a zealous advocate for their cause. During Spring semester of our first year of law school, we had Constitutional Law (“Con Law”). The class was structured so that we would discuss the traditional cases, learning the rules of the law, and then spend the remaining class time debating the policy implications. Professor Wermeil was not someone who encouraged students to debate him, resulting in few students actually participating in the policy discussion. The memory of Ves that will stay with me for all time comes from the day Ves entered one of the policy debates. I don’t remember what the issue was of discussion for that day but I do remember Ves passionately debating his opinion on the topic and in so doing, teaching the rest of his fellow students the true meaning of the duty to be a zealous advocate. The world has lost an excellent lawyer and person.

Shoshanna Rothman

Washington College of Law

Class of ’06.

Dear Ms. Vorobyeva,

I am sorry for your loss.
I wish I knew words to ease your grief and pain. All I can tell you is that your son was a wonderful person – one of the warmest and most sincere people I have ever met. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him at WCL.

My thoughts are with you,

Lilah Rosenblum
Section 5, Class of 2006

Ms. Vorobyeva,

I was in the same first-year section of law school as Ves. I will always remember his unique sense of humor and his ability to ask tough questions that made us think. He will be greatly missed.

Sincerely,

Erin Webreck

Please know our thought and prayers are with you in this time of such loss. Ves was a kind and sincere person. We miss him so much.

Sincerely,
Amelia Samoras

Dear Ms Vorobyeva,

My name is Asiyah and I was a classmate of Ves’. I can not express my sorrow over his passing. Ves was a smart and intelligent man. He always said hello in the hallways, no matter how busy he was. I think of him often and will pray for you and your family.

Best regards,
Asiyah Sarwari

My 1L year was a difficult time of transition & Ves was a friend who was immediately accepting & welcoming. His friendship then was a comfort & now will continue to be a comforting memory. I will miss him & remember him always. My thoughts are with you.

Sincerely,
Megan Scheib

Fordham University School of Law
Master of Laws Graduate Program
140 West 62nd Street
New York, New York 10023

Dear Sir or Madam:

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Mr. Vorobyev to your Master of Laws Graduate Program. I have known Mr. Vorobyev for nearly three years as a fellow law student, classmate, and friend. In that time Mr. Vorobyev has enriched my law school experience, and if I may be so bold, that of my fellow classmates as well.

Mr. Vorobyev has consistently displayed an unflagging interest and sophisticated understanding of international policy, affairs and jurisprudence. Owing to his personal background (emigrating from the former U.S.S.R., and excelling in a new culture here in the United States), Mr. Vorobyev has always been able to provide a truly international perspective on legal issues that rises above merely academic or theoretical perspectives. I believe that Mr. Vorobyev, having lived under both a capitalist country and a communist régime, has the ability to entertain multiple perspectives on policy and legal issues. We have had many discussions concerning the former Soviet Union in contrast to the United States and he has consistently enlightened me by showing that effects of policy decisions are relative to the observer and when judging the success or feasibility of such initiatives many perspectives must be taken into account. Mr. Vorobyev consistently impressed me in those discussions by seamlessly adopting and understanding the motives, concerns and aspirations of various competing groups which of course made his conclusions well grounded and ineluctably reasonable. This ability, this truly international perspective, in my estimation would be critical to success in a Graduate Program in International Trade Law.

In addition to his personal interest in the field, Mr. Vorobyev in addition to being on track to complete his Juris Doctorate in three years has also managed to attain an Master’s Degree in International Service contemporaneously. He has also interned at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center where he assisted a Ukrainian scholar advocating privatization while attempting to stem increasing governmental corruption in the former Soviet Union. I mention these accomplishments to show that not only does Mr. Vorobyev “talks the talk” he also “walks the walk”.

Having illustrated Mr. Vorobyev’s general competence and interest in the field, I would like to address some of his substantive work that leads me to the conclusion that he has the ability excel in your program. I have had the pleasure of reading several of Mr. Vorobyev’s formal writings and there are two that stand out as exemplary. One was a piece on international humanitarian interventions and the other concerned the role of federal courts and “enemy combatants”. Throughout both pieces, Mr. Vorobyev writes in clear, balanced and imminently readable prose. And upon reflection, a second quality also stands out: Mr. Vorobyev’s encyclopedic knowledge of history. In addition to Mr. Vorobyev’s ability to entertain multiple contemporary perspectives his writing reveals a similar ability that transcends temporal restrictions. In examining the legal and policy issues surrounding these two imminently topical issues, Mr. Vorobyev grounds his arguments in a deep understanding of the historical positions of the parties involved. Many of my fellow law students have the ability to regurgitate the present state of the law, but few have the knowledge and ability to understand its development over time. In this regard, Mr. Vorobyev excels because he possesses the scholar’s drive not to only know the way things are but why they are a particular way.

For all of the reasons stated above, I wholeheartedly endorse and support Mr. Vorobyev’s application and I am proud to write this letter. I hope it will assist you in your decisionmaking process and please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely, William F. Hardin