“Share each other's
burdens, and so obey His command." ~ Galatians 6:2
Their relationship formed in the mid-90s while both served
as Board members of an Indianapolis grant-making foundation. Dwayne Isaacs was
the foundation's attorney. Terry Kahn served as the HR Director of a local
hospital. Calling them friends would’ve been a stretch – they were colleagues
who never socialized.
When Kahn left the
board in 2010, Isaacs doubted their paths would cross again. He was wrong. Kahn
called, suggesting they have lunch.
The two became regular
lunch companions every month for the next 10 years. Kahn chose the restaurants,
selecting places that took coupons. They always went Dutch.
Over the course of their meetings, the reclusive,
penny-pinching Kahn began to share details about himself. His parents fled Nazi
Germany and settled in America. After serving three years in Vietnam, Terry joined
the Veterans Administration where he worked for 30 years.
Kahn had a reputation for being infamously frugal. He lived
in a modest house, drove an old Honda, and carried no cell phone because it was “a
crazy expense.” Even when he died in 2021, alone in a nursing facility from
non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, he demanded no obituary, emphasizing his
commitment to living a simple, unassuming life.
Although Kahn had
already instructed Isaacs on where to find his documents once he died, he
wouldn't reveal his net worth until pressed to do so in his final days.
Terry directed his money be given to "charity,"
though he didn’t specify which one(s) he favored. Isaacs revealed later that having
to distribute Kahn's portfolio weighed heavily on him.
He was floored when they saw the numbers. Kahn was worth
more than $13 million. He’d received a small inheritance from his parents. But
he’d been a savvy investor using a simple formula: “Spend less, save more, and invest
the rest.”
Isaacs wanted to honor Kahn by giving to organizations with
which he would have identified. No donations would go to large organizations,
because “they already have enough money!” So, he began cold calling select nonprofits
and asking them: “What would you do with $1 million?”
He distributed gifts ranging from $500,000 to $2 million to
a dozen worthy groups until the money was gone. Recipients included an
organization that provides teachers in poor schools with free educational
supplies, a local YMCA for upgrades to its sports facilities, one that sends
medical teams to developing nations, and a foundation committed to medical
research on liver diseases.
Isaacs believes Kahn would be pleased. He served his
country and will continue serving humanity in equally unselfish ways through
his posthumous gifts. The man known for being frugal in life will be celebrated
for his extraordinary generosity in death.
Loving Father, as Christ loved me and
selflessly gave His life for me, may I also pass this generous love onto others
as a way to say thank you to You. Fill me with Your love, compassion, and
grace. Amen
