It is hard not to smile when we think of Clay!

Like many, I want to say something about Clay to help put a smile on many disbelieving faces. Thinking back over the years there were so many profound things that Clay and I had dialogs and emails about. They ranged from the state of the universe to the movie, “What the Bleep…” No doubt that I was not the only one.

Back in 1995, I met Clay when out of the blue I received a call from him wanting to meet Wendy and I to discuss an idea he had about experiential learning for corporate teams. We had never met this guy, but when we did meet at a micro brewery in San Diego, he already knew more about our website and business plan than we did. Wendy later shared that she thought he was an investigative reporter researching us. Her thoughts quickly quelled because of his sincerity, warmth and that laugh. Eventually, when he was at RMOC, we did work together on some projects that were not only great fun, but very effective team programs.

Rachel, rarely did Clay really talk about himself in depth to me. He was not secretive, but just quiet about himself. One day, I receive the rare phone call and we talked a bit about him feeling that he was searching for something or someone. It was intense and it bothered him enough to call. Many emails later, it was clear that it was someone he was searching for. I remember that he talked a lot about the book Wendy and I wrote about how we met and the defining moments that came quickly for us. Typical Clay, he wanted to analyze all the details. I actually got mad at him and wrote this lengthy email about how he should stop trying to figure it out and start making “left turns” in his life when everything logical told him to turn right. Well he did, and it was not too long later that I received an email about this person named Rachel. Clay was ecstatic!

Like others, I remember the famous email from “the ice” announcing the engagement and I could feel his sense of adventure, excitement and completeness. I clearly remember, as if it was today, feeling Clay’s sense of being whole and complete.

Rachel, Wendy and I believe that there is nothing greater that one person can offer another than to make them whole and complete. We know for sure that you are that person for Clay.

All of our love to you Rachel. Hope to see you soon.

Bob Root & Wendy Steele