Message from Julie Bilinkas

I check Sukij's blog site every day to keep apprised of his health and spirit and because I find it incredibly inspiring to see the impact he's had on so many people. Robert Louis Stevenson once said: "Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant". The blog entries from Sukij's family and friends, reinforce just how many seeds Sukij has planted. They illustrate the magnitude of his kindness, his selflessness, his genuine concern for others.

I was fortunate enough to get a sampling of Sukij's warmth and compassion on a business trip to Denver. Sukij had the ability to turn an ordinary trip into an extraordinary one. When my LAN connection at the hotel did not work, he came to my room and fixed it. When the airline cancelled our flight home (in the middle of the night while we were sleeping) he called my hotel room at 4:00 am to say "if we leave right now, we can catch the last flight home, otherwise we will be snowed in for a couple of days". When we got to the airport, he went to the President's Club and asked that I get upgraded to First Class as his traveling companion. I remember thinking how lucky I was to be taken care of by such a kind man (and wishing I could pack him in my suitcase each time I traveled thereafter). I can vividly remember his sweet voice, his warm heart, his sharp mind and his infectious laugh.

Thank you, Sukij. You have blessed the world with your existence.

-Julie Bilinkas