2 years ago, with the promise of starting a project together, I was introduced to Arti by Danut.
He was excited to make a difference, but also build something from scratch. I was skeptical. I wanted a plan, solid proof that his idea was good, that it could work. From the get go, he was so easy going and told me not to worry, we'll talk it through until all of us are happy. He listened and never disregarded a question or opinion I had. We brainstormed and did research and iterated on different possible solutions. We started having regular calls and soon enough we had a real project on our hands.
Arti's passion and drive moved me, motivated me, pushed me to work better, to be better. He was never scared of a challenge. Every obstacle coming our way, he asured me we'll figure it out. He gave me a sense of calm. When I became overwhelmed or too worried, he'd say "it's gonna be perfect" and that we'll work it out and I would believe him and my nerves would dissapear. He was the idea, the spark, the pillar of resistance.
After a few months of being in contact on a regular basis, we were more than just working on a project together, we were becoming friends. Our calls became an opportunity to connect. At some point I realised that that awkward feeling when you first meet someone was long gone, and Arti and I were actual friends.
When he came to visit us in Romania this spring, I never felt for a second that it was the first time meeting each other. After so much time talking and facetiming, it felt so natural being in the same place at the same time, nothing new there. It was like it had always been that way. We joked the same, talked the same, but I was so glad to see him be himself wholely, to see first hand how much he loved food, the way he overestimated by a lot how much we would be drinking that night, or better said, how much HE would be drinking that night, to hear his stories and to see him and Danut together. I wished he had stayed longer!
I will always remember Arti as the strongest person I've ever met, the most positive, the kindest and the most caring. He always kept moving forward, even when it seemed impossible to do so. When others would have broken down, he marched on with a smile on his face and reassured everyone that it's going to be ok. There was never a drop of mean spiritedness in him, not even when we disagreed, not even when something hurt him. He always tried to understand the other side of the story and stay kind. He was so smart, so curios, so eager to learn. He didn't seem to rest enough, always working on something, new ideas, helping friends, working on himself.
He comforted everyone when he needed that comfort the most. He said "it's going to be perfect, I'll be alright" and I believed him and everyone believed him.
I will miss him so much! A true friend, someone I could talk to like no other, someone who understood me so easily. He changed me and challenged me, in the way I think, in the values I have.
But I will not miss him only because of what he meant to me, but most importantly for who he was. For for his optimism, his silliness, for the way he couldn't handle his alcohol, for his love of gossiping and bad tv shows, for how embarrassed he would get when he made a mistake, for his laugh and the gap between his teeth. For his love of life and people, for his honesty, goodness and strength and for being himself always!
I never believed for a second we would be here, without him. Not one second did I ever think he would leave us. I could not believe it and I still cannot! I hope he is peaceful. I hope he knows how loved he was!
