The first post in the semester should be enthusiastic and optimistic, but it can't be. As some of you may have already heard, we lost a very special person, dear to everyone who was privileged to know him. John Solan, who used to work at KJO as one of its most prominent lecturers,
died on January 24 in Ireland. All I know is that his illness took him very quickly, in only two weeks. He was a very good person, a dedicated teacher, and an unforgettable figure. I will always remember how passionate he could be in his long disputes with other teachers about particular students or about some current events in the world.
If you have any memories of John and would like to share them, please do. This is not an assignment, merely an invitation.
Here is my little story - nothing to do with KJO, but a lot to do with what John was like:
Once John and his wife Monika adopted a dog from a shelter. It took them weeks to teach her to trust them and not to be scared of absolutely everything and everyone. They succeeded. After some time, though, the dog got very ill, and it was amazing how they struggled to save her. There was an operation, multiple visits to the vet, sleepless nights and lots of money. As far as I remember they got her out of it. But how distressed John was when all that was happening! A wonderful, caring person I am proud to have known.
RIP, John Solan.
