Top Shelf Todd Stories
Heidi Coretz
Top Shelf Todd Stories
1. When you came home from being born, I got to stay up late and hold you by myself when it was your first night feeding. I was 5 and I probably got to stay up until 10pm since I was such a big girl, a big sister to my baby brother.
2. I got to have a volunteer job in your Little League Baseball team. I would be in the dugout, keeping score and getting all of you in order, on deck when you were about to bat. Even when I wasn’t doing that, as you and Michael got older, I went to all of your games.
3. I was so impressed with your BBYO/AZA leadership in high school, and then you joining the Jewish fraternity at Florida. I do love that we are both Gators!
4. When I was in Rabbinical School and had to have surgery, you drove up the black Celica for me with Mom. Somehow, we got locked out of the condo where we were staying. You had to climb up and break in through an upstairs window, I think. You hated seeing Cincinnati in the fall then because it was so dreary and ugly. You asked why everyone didn’t live in Boca!
5. When I was a rabbi in Tulsa, and then I was moving to Lubbock, you asked why I kept moving to these crazy places. Good question. But you came to Lubbock to visit and spend time with Baby Hannah. You got off the plane and asked about all those people dressed up in Cowboy costumes! You got to fly back in first class because Alan worked for American Airlines. You told us the story of the flight attendants treating you really well and giving you a bottle of wine to take home. You wondered if you were supposed to tip them.
6. When we moved to Dallas, you had to come here for a training. We had some nice times, but I most remember you went to the closing night of a strip club where they served free alcohol. The police came to close it down and you got pushed out in the shuffle and lost your glasses. We had to go and get you new ones. That was such a funny story.
7. I loved that night we went to the Orange Bowl to see the Gators play and win and hearing that story of you and Michael in the bathroom when some guy wanted to beat him up and you acted all crazy to scare him off.
8. You were so good with Hannah as a toddler and little kid. We felt so lucky about you being her guardian if anything were to happen to us. One time you were watching Hannah and took her to Chuck E Cheese in Boca. You called me and told me she felt sick to her stomach, and you didn’t know what you should do. I asked you what she ate, and you told me ice cream and candy. I told you that you needed to feed her real food and you responded that you had asked her if she wanted any of that and she didn’t. haha
9. I remember you bringing us Beloved Deb to Dallas, right after we adopted Ariella and Samuel. I remember Deb teaching the kids to play the recorder and taking your picture up in the big live oak tree.
10. I absolutely loved making your special wedding album after having the honor of officiating your wedding.
11. I remember you and Deb coming to take care of the three kids right after Craig’s death when we needed to fly to Russia to adopt Daniel.
12. I remember that you worked so hard and used all of your American Airlines miles and even had to buy more to get a first-class ticket for Daniel to come home from Russia with me.
13. After we adopted Daniel, I loved having that Passover Seder on you back porch. And I think you arranged for us to all stay at a hotel on the beach. What I remember is that you and I made tons of Matzah pizza on an ironing board.
14. I loved that you introduced me to Total wine and the fun tasting night when Deb and I had to walk each other to the bathroom so we could come back and taste more wine. And then we went to Capital Grille to eat while the alcohol wore off. And you and Deb introduced me to Generous Pour that I’ve enjoyed for over ten years.
15. OMG – that time you won a stay in a charity auction to Club Med and then treated us all to the most special vacation. That was too fun!!!
16. That time we did that Amazing Race game together and won the night at the Ritz, and then we got to stay there. So cool! Probably my only time ever in a Ritz Carleton, which I know you love.
17. I loved doing Deb’s two maternity shoots. One of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken is the one of you and Deb facing each other at sunrise. I know you didn’t love it because your shirt was blowing and you didn’t look your thin self, but I will treasure it always.
18. I loved when I came in for New Year’s when we did baby Sarah’s naming. I stayed for New Year’s Eve and had so many drinks, fun dancing and celebrating at your house.
19. I remember after Hannah’s Bat Mitzvah that you arranged for us to go to Orlando together. I watched Baby Sarah while you took Hannah to an unforgettable first visit to Universal Studios and Harry Potter World. You had to get her out of the store, but buying her some extra things. You always loved spoiling everyone, and your generosity knows no bounds.
20. I remember staying at the Omphoy and you, Deb and Sarah coming out to play at the pool. You ordered us food and we got to have a really special hangout.
21. I got to celebrate my 50th and 51st birthday celebrations at your house with Paella parties, and we got to have two wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations with that incredible catering from the Polo Club.
22. I loved that day we spent at brunch at the Polo Club and got to go onto the field and toast with the pink champagne. I remember they made me my own special sushi plate that wasn’t made around any shellfish.
23. I was so scared after you and I spent a good bit of time making and sharing drinks, that you found out the next day you had Strep throat. But you were still able to go to Portugal, and I never did get sick, though I was paranoid I would. Making those drinks together with the bourbon and cherries was a lot of fun.
24. I have been so in awe of you through these years of challenge, how you have taken extreme treatment, including an amputation, and bounced back, kept your sense of humor and your zest for enjoying every possible minute. That night you came home from the amputation, will always be so special to me. You handled the situation with so much grace and made us all feel so comfortable. Lilah’s toasts to you were the best. You aren’t just Superman, you are my hero.
25. The home you bought and remodeled for your family is incredible and you are in it in every way, as it reflects the very best of your entertaining/hospitality oriented spirit. And every part of it is Top Shelf Todd amazing!
26. I so proud of you for leading so many volunteer and fundraising projects including Boys and Girls Club, Symphony, Auctioneering, and most especially, all of the incredible work you’ve done for your Temple. I loved seeing you honored at the Halloween event when you dressed as Superman and I came in and surprised you, and dressed like an astronaut. Seeing you honored by the Temple and the Sarcoma Foundation recently was so special.
27. I loved working with you on schedule, menu and t-shirt/bag graphics for the Beach House trip, the t-shirts for the cruise, and your iMordechai showing, as well as Sarah’s Bat Mitzvah save the date cards. You are the best planner of vacations and I love hearing all of the details of you many special trips. You for sure planned the most incredibly unforgettable trip at that beach house. It was just insane.
Todd Wolosoff
I share all of Rachelle’s comments, especially loved going to Mar-A-Lago. Also, seeing you command the room at the charity event as the auctioneer was amazing and unforgettable.
I will always remember how proud you were when I first called you my nephew. That makes me so proud and it is something I will treasure for the rest of my life.
I will always remember showing you my scotch collection and appreciated the keen interest you showed in studying every single bottle.
I will always remember joining you at the bourbon corner at Sarah’s Bat Mitzvah party. I never saw anything like that. So very cool.
I will always remember our last time together at the Sunday after the Bat Mitzvah. Joining you and Michael in your dining room with a few friends sharing stories and sipping bourbon. A great final memory. Mostly, I will never forget the grace and class you exhibited in handling your illness. It is a life lesson that will stay with me forever as will my memories of you exuding a tremendous spirit of living life to the fullest.
Love,
Uncle Todd
Rachelle Wolosoff
It's not so much what Todd has “done” but more about the way he “makes us feel”. Whenever we walk into an event that you are hosting or at your home, and we see you, Todd, our spirits lift and our joy increases. Todd, you exude such a joy for life. You make us feel like we’re on a journey with you. I particularly felt that when we were invited to the fundraiser where you were the auctioneer. Wow! I never met a true, real-life auctioneer and it was you! You spoke a mile a minute, impressing a large crowd of several hundred people with your speed, sense of humor and warmth. We were so impressed! We hadn’t seen you in that mode before and we felt so proud to say that you are our nephew—even though we are not related by blood, we might as well be, because you are our family.
No matter how many people are at your house for a party, you always manage to find time to speak with your ole aunt and uncle! You always make us feel included and necessary. We love you for that and many more things!
The way you interact with Lilah and Sarah is a joy to watch. Your love and care for them is so apparent and so deep that many would do well to take in what you say and how you say it to them, as a guide to raising their own kids. Your love for Deb oozes out. It is so clear how much you love her and would do anything for her. Her love for you is exemplified with how she has helped you through these difficult times, wearing her wife and mom hat and at times medical consultant hat.
You always took good care of us and even introduced us to your friend, Scott, who invited us twice to Mar-a-Lago! That was a dream for us and you made it come true!
You weren’t feeling your best, but you made a trip across the country to be part of Jen and Donnie’s wedding! That was a gift we will never forget. You let nothing stop you and we were the overjoyed recipients of that unbelievable effort. You have taught us a way to be in the path of adversity. We will take that with us as your legacy for life when we face obstacles along the way. What a gift! We are so grateful!
Todd, you are just a mensch in every respect. We love you with all our heart and soul and have always wished only the best for you and your fantastic family. Please be sure to know that we will always be there for your family, to love, cherish and care for. You have left a legacy of all sorts and we are so lucky to have experienced it with you.
Love,
Aunt Rachelle
Eric Juckett
I haven't had the privilege of knowing Todd aka TB as long as many of you have but he has forever changed my life for the better. We were introduced by a mutual friend John McGovern shortly after I was diagnosed with cancer in late 2021. I was hesitant to call Todd because I was scared and nervous for the days to come and what my family and I were about to go through. After a few days I decided to call Todd and left him a voicemail barely able to keep it together. Within minutes he called me back on his way to an event he was hosting at the breakers for some of his clients. In a few minutes talking with Todd I realized his unique way of looking at life. He views things with optimism and positivity and he was instantly able to provide me with perspective and what to expect moving forward the following week when I would start treatment. Cancer is very rare to begin with but once we realized we had the exact same cancer this was beyond rare and somehow brought us closer together. Todd started out as a mentor and helping me navigate what I was dealing with. His hands on knowledge and positive outlook was exactly what I needed. As we talked more we became friends. Todd is the most generous person I have ever met. He constantly would drop food off to me at the hospital and at home. One specific story is when Todd brought lunch during my 2nd round of treatment at Miami Hospital. At this time I had not seen Todd in person and Miami wasn't allowing visitors during covid so he had to drop it off out front of the hospital. I was able to see him from my upstairs window. He pulled up in his BMW and walked in liked he owned the place......he basically did. He got me Joe's Stone Crab and it was enough food to feed me for a week. The best lobster roll I have ever had. The crazy thing is he also got all the nurses on my floor a giant sandwich wheel. He told me they would treat me even better than they already were and he wasn't kidding. I became a king after that and they all knew Todd very well from his time there. I couldn't help but think how generous he was and how he never asked for anything in return. He genuinely just did things out of the kindness of his heart and because he could. As time went by and I finished treatment I got to know his wife Deb who is an absolute rock star and beautiful daughters. His brother MB and his family as well. Todd even went out of his way to get me a bottle of Pappy when i finished my treatments after a difficult year and told me congratulations! We have had many dinners, fins games, drinks and laughs. Through all this Todd and I have become brothers. I love him and his family and they are now our family as well. I refer to Todd as an animal all the time because he can take a punch and keep swinging like no one I have ever met. He is beyond selfless even when he personally is going through something extremely difficult that not many people can understand. The crazy thing is you wouldn't even know that he just finished a week of treatment that would knock most people out of commission for a few days but not Todd. He would be throwing an unbelievable bash of a party for his close friend's and family at his house because he loves seeing others have a good time. That really is what Todd is all about and he just happens to be a fantastic party planner! I have no idea how I could have made it through my journey without Todd and thank God that we met and have become as close as we are. I will forever be in his debt and cherish every moment I have had with him and his family. Todd, thank you for everything I love you brother!
Judy Wolosoff
Todd Barron saved my life.
It was our 2008 Wolosoff trip to Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico. During one of several excursions our group visited the famous landmark, El Arch. This rock formation marks the most Southern tip of the Baja peninsula and is flanked on the east by the Sea of Cortez and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The arch forms a canopy above where these two oceans converge, and the water between the two bodies of water flows freely under this arch, as seen on most photos of this attraction.
On this particular day, our group witnessed an unusual phenomenon... the water under the arch had receded and a strip of land was exposed. We were apprehensive, but "felt the fear and did it anyway" as we cautiously walked under the arch. Something few are able to experience! We walked from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean. How special were we!
As we rounded the path, the Pacific Ocean came into view. It was a magnificent vision of powerful turbulence, treacherous rocks and the power of water!
And this is where Todd Barron saved my life. I tend to lag behind during nature walks because I enjoy taking in details and experiencing the wonders of our world. I needed a closer look.
Suddenly, a huge wave crashed on our sliver of beach. The others of our group were way ahead but I was dawdling, as usual. In a flash, I was engulfed by water and the power of the wave was immense! I knew I would surely drown and die if I was washed onto those rocks.
A hand appeared.
Todd Barron had noticed that I was lagging behind our group. As the water tried to consume me, Todd thrust out his hand, grabbed my hand with intensity and pulled me from the abyss of death.
Thank you, Todd, for saving my life.
