How a mentor (Peter Koch) changed my life

Nick Gifford
Posted 2/19/15

By NICK GIFFORD

I am beyond saddened by the passing of one of my biggest role models in life, Peter A. Koch.

I first met Peter in 1997, when I was only 10. I had lost my father that year and …

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How a mentor (Peter Koch) changed my life

Posted

By NICK GIFFORD

I am beyond saddened by the passing of one of my biggest role models in life, Peter A. Koch.

I first met Peter in 1997, when I was only 10. I had lost my father that year and was desperately in need of a positive male presence in my life. Through the wonderful program that is The Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership I was introduced to Peter and had the joy of spending one hour a week with him all through my fifth and sixth grade years at John Wickes Elementary. Our friendship continued through my years in junior high school and high school and well into my adulthood. I was involved in the scouting program with Troop 7 Buttonwoods.

Peter was an Eagle Scout and a tremendous influence on me to stick with it. I became an Eagle Scout myself in 2004. It is to this day my proudest accomplishment and was made all the more special by the fact that Peter served on my Eagle Scout Board of Review. He also administered the Eagle Scout Oath to me at my Eagle ceremony a few months later.

Peter was a loving husband and father and very involved with the day-to-day business of being CEO of Koch Eye Associates with his brother Paul and sister Patricia. However, he always had time for other people and things that mattered to him. This, I believe, is why he became involved in mentoring and why he encouraged his employees to do the same, which many did.

I was always enthralled by his many stories of far-away places he would visit (mostly to play golf!) and of the numerous notable figures he would often interact with, including NFL great Joe Theismann and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. I anxiously awaited his annual Christmas card, which over the years would come to show photos of him standing and posing alongside former Presidents Clinton and Bush Sr. as well as Cindy Crawford.

What a privilege it was to know him! He always made it a point to take me to dinner a few times a year, and although at this point I was working for the City of Warwick and making good money, he never, ever let me pay. Peter was the driving force behind my decision to become a mentor myself to a wonderful kid named Anthony at Norwood Elementary last year.

I learned so much from Peter: friendship, compassion, responsibility and kindness. He taught me that although it is nice to be important, it is more important to be nice. These things I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

I want to send my condolences to Peter’s family and his many friends. He did so much for us all. I know we will all miss him dearly.

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