Paying it Forward One Ticket at a Time
By Gabe Wasserman
I was matched with Bruce Patz through Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters (JBBBS) in March of 1994 when I was 11 years old and a year and a half after my father had passed away, leaving a huge void in my life.
Bruce and I shared a love of all things sports and instantly became best friends. Shortly after Bruce and I were matched, Bob Kraft bought the Patriots and was honored by B’nai Brith at their annual dinner at the old Lombardo’s Restaurant in Randolph. JBBBS had tickets to the event and gave two of them to me and Bruce. It was truly the experience of a lifetime for a young Patriots fan as I met and got the autographs of many current and former Patriot players including the Patriots recent #1 overall draft pick, Drew Bledsoe. Bruce and I even went up to the podium where Bob Kraft was sitting and had a great conversation with him. He asked me for my Hebrew name and signed it on my football that I was using it to collect autographs. I still have it to this day.
Toward the end of the event, Bruce struck up a conversation with Jonathan Kraft, Bob’s son who is now the President of the Patriots. Bruce explained how we were matched through JBBBS and Jonathan graciously offered us tickets to a Red Sox game in the 600 club, which was a glass protected seating area behind home plate at Fenway Park and was a precursor to the current luxury box craze at all professional stadiums.
I remember being inspired by Jonathan’s generosity and making a pledge to myself to be similarly philanthropic if I were ever fortunate enough to be able to do so when I grew up.
Fast forward 30 years and Bruce and I are still best friends. My kids call him “Uncle Bruce” and his kids call me “Uncle Gabe.” We frequently text and talk on the phone and get together in person whenever we can. I would not be the man I am today without Bruce’s patient guidance and friendship. Bruce and I both have season tickets to the Patriots in the same section at Gillette Stadium, however, I live in New York and therefore don’t get to many games so I donate most of my tickets to JBBBS. Every time I email Lauren Korn and tell her that I have Patriots tickets that I’d like to give to a match, it brings a huge smile to my face. I think about my friendship with Bruce, the incredible impact that JBBBS has had on my life, and how in some small way, I’ve fulfilled the pledge I made to myself that night when Jonathan Kraft gave us tickets to the Red Sox game. Truly a Dor L’Dor experience.
Gabe Wasserman is a JBBBS Little alumni and remains best friends with his Big Brother Bruce Patz to this day. Gabe works in commercial real estate and lives outside New York City with his wife and two kids.