Groomsman speech

I remember the first time that I met Katherine.

Don had invited Kristen and I to go to Longwood Gardens to meet her.

We were all walking together in the conservatory, and it was Christmastime.

And I remember just we were all walking together, and this sweet girl Katherine walking arm in arm with Don And I just remember feeling so surprised.

And so let me go back to when I met Don.

It was 2004.

There was this guy at the high school football game that would just go up to people who were talking and put his arms around them and just stick his head between and just grin until they noticed.

So the first time I met Don, he was about six inches away from my face, which is appropriate because shortly after that we were inseparable.

We had all the same interests.

We lived near each other.

We had all the same classes.

I never had a brother, but with Don, I finally understood what it was like to have to drive someone everywhere because they were too young to get their license.

I know that Don looked up to me, but in reality, I looked up to Don.

Don is an incredibly hard worker.

When he wants to accomplish something, he will give it his all.

Even something as trivial as video games, he will go to the hardest challenges.

Things like 100 super jumps Champions Road two time legend in Hearthstone and if you know what those are, then you understand why I'm so surprised about all this.

I was on the track team with Don, and Don worked his way up from being a so so runner his sophomore year to being a really great runner and winning the school's Scholar Athlete Award by his senior year.

And those of you who know me know that I had no such arc.

And one time I was driving Don home from practice, and I remember saying, you know, why haven't I just quit this team?

And Don said, I think you know you haven't quit, because you know you'd be letting down the coaches, you know you'd be letting down the team, and you know you'd be letting down yourself.

And I remember thinking, well, that's not it.

But Don saw everything as an opportunity for self betterment and to put the work in and he believed in me in the same way.

And after that, I stayed on the track team.

And I was still terrible, and I hated it, but that's the difference between Don and I.

After high school, Don and I went to separate colleges, him at Notre Dame, me in New Jersey.

The two of us far flung across the country, and Notre Dame is where Don grew into the man he is today, an affable well rounded guy with a large

diverse group of friends and to be clear, I mean that some like sports and some like video games.

They're all white, obviously.

But Notre Dame is where Don met Catherine, and I remember when Don and Catherine got together.

Don was talking to me, and he turned to me, and he said, Damn,

I met someone,

and I think she might be the one.

And I said, Don,

that's so wonderful to hear.

Obviously, that conversation didn't actually happen, because we're guys and we don't talk about our feelings, but he didn't have to tell me because I knew.

I could see how he was crazy about Catherine, and I could see how he became a better person because of her.

And Don is someone who cares deeply about the people in his life.

He cares so much, in fact, that he gives Catherine the courtesy of leaving the room when he has to fart.

And I'm sure Catherine appreciates it, but I imagine she would prefer he just stopped playing Hearthstone on his phone around her.

Many of us in this room have long distance friendships with Don and it can be hard.

You can feel like you're missing a lot of a person's life.

But Don and Catherine did a long distance relationship for two years from San Francisco to Chicago.

I almost said Seattle.

And they made it work, despite the difficulty, despite the distance, despite all the times where they could have said, Why don't we just quit?

And not only did Don not quit, he conquered his crippling fear of flying, to frequently fly across the country to see Catherine.

And if they can take on air travel, if they can take on long distance, I'm confident that they can take on anything.

When you're young and you're a guy, you spend approximately zero seconds of your time thinking about what kind of person your friend will marry.

But that day at Longwood Gardens, I could not believe what a perfect fit Don had found in Catherine.

She is kind, she is caring, she is smart and driven, and she is using those talents to make the world a better place.

And they can be themselves around each other without holding anything back, except, of course, Don, who is continuing to courteously hold back his farts.

Catherine and Don, I wish you all the best.

I hope you remember this day ten years from now when you've achieved your dream of never stepping foot in San Francisco again,

and you've got a house with more than one room, and you've got a dog and little Don Jr.

running around, and you've got time to think of a better name, but I hope you remember this day

and everyone who came here from all across the country to repay the love and support that you've given us over the years.

I would now like to request all of you to make a massive toast to this beautiful couple.

Woo!