Reply to comment

I would first like to introduce myself, as I did not attend Bryn Mawr, I did not teach there, nor have I ever met Paul (we were on a first name basis) in person. My name is David Feingold, the contributor of Serendip from the section on Exploring Disability: Images and Thoughts. I just found out about Paul's passing and am emotionally grieving as if I lost my own father. I remember the first time I wrote Paul about my mood disorder and art images that had been accompanying my road to better mental health. I asked him if there was room in Serendip for imparting information on my experience. Thinking this professor would be too busy to answer an email from someone he never knew, I was surprised to see a response almost immediately. Paul was excited to learn about this doctoral student's experience with bipolar disorder, the accompanying art work and presentation material I gave at conferences at Columbia and Syracuse Universities. Out of nowhere was this brilliant man who took a personal and academic interest in what I had to offer. Various correspondence between Paul and me, solidified what I thought would otherwise be a very brief and surface relationship. Paul quickly became my mentor of sorts, although I'm not sure if he ever realized that. Perhaps that is true of others who knew and learned from him. I was taking classes for my doctorate program (in disability studies) when I collaborated with Paul and am now working on my dissertation. I was looking forward to sharing my progress of my dissertation with Paul, but I see that will never come to be. Instead I will think of Paul as I complete my research and write my autoethnography. He will be sitting on my shoulder, encouraging me to question, seek, push the envelope of knowledge, and most of all, commit myself to discovery. I will be dedicating the rest of my work in Paul's honor and hope to pay him homage by contributing one more entry to Serendip about my work in his name, when my dissertation is completed. Thank you Paul--I'll always remember and appreciate the short but meaningful time we spent in collaboration.