Thursday, March 21, 2024
Mark Mangold here. Andy was my best friend growing up in Atlantic Beach. Being the same age and isolated on that “island” we hung out, had our own Boy Scout Troop, made up of just the two of us. Being outsiders we plotted to invade the social scene in high school together. Would walk miles across the bridge to go to the “diner” where the high schoolers hung out… and back home at all hours. Our conquest and escape from oblivion in the hinterland::)) We were life guards together when his brother Roy hired me…a number of summers doing that and of course… surfing, which meant cutting classes to go to the beach if the surf was up.
Starting college he went to Hofstra and I went to Adelphi and we started to lose touch. I had tried to “find” him through the years (before the internet). Every so often I look around and a few years ago saw that he had passed. I truly regret we were not able to reconnect as adults and will always remember my Atlantic Beach buddy. I don’t know if I would have made it through junior hi and hi school without our comraderie. Belated condolences to his family
