Summer 2004 - BMI.com

his undergraduate alma mater, to
benefit applicants who came up
long on creativity but (ostensibly)
shorter on academics.
The lessons we can take from his
life Like him, to live it to its
fullest. Fearlessly. To dream; to set
goals and work for them. To choose
your battles and let go of the arguments—if
necessary, the people—
that prevent you from keeping a
positive outlook, embracing
opportunity and being creative. To
love. Charlie was blessed with his
devoted, supportive wife, Ann;
their three sons; and two daughters
from his first marriage.
Quoth Kelman senior, “You’ll be
a doctor.” More like, “You’ll be a
doctor, and an inventor, and a husband
and father, and a philanthropist,
and a teaching physician
and lecturer, and a helicopter pilot,
and an author, and a musician,
and a producer, and a composerlyricist,
and…”
Although lung cancer ultimately
took his life (not without a real battle),
Charlie was all of these. And
for that, we here at BMI who knew
him—and strangers alike—have
much to be grateful for.
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