Beach Feb 2018

each charity
Michael Greenberg speaks at the groundbreaking for the Roundhouse Beautification Project, which he has spearheaded in honor of his son, Harrison.
Photo by Jessie Lee Cederblom
The boy and the pier
Second of two parts
How Michael Greenberg transformed the loss of his son
into a gift for the place that made him
by Mark McDermott
Harrison Greenberg was still a toddler when his mother, Wendy,
made an unusual discovery. He was a hyperactive little boy, bouncy
and playful, all go, go, go. He had boundless curiosity; everything
he encountered was subject to inspection, but his mind was restless, always
moving to the next thing. Early on, while taking her son on early morning
strolls, Wendy Greenberg found a place where Harrison’s attention focused
to an utter calm: the Roundhouse Aquarium at the end of the Manhattan
Beach Pier.
As Harrison would demonstrate for the rest of his life, he was nothing if
not hands-on. At the aquarium, he found a rare place in the adult world
where his curiosity could run free. He especially loved the touch tanks,
where he could put his hands on ocean wildlife, such as sea stars, urchins
and snails.
“He was a very curious guy at an early age, so going to the Roundhouse
was an opportunity to learn, an opportunity to engage,” Wendy recalled.
“He was able to sit there and take in what was told to him. He could touch
and learn, which inspired us to go more frequently, with different friends
and on different outings.”
Such was Harrison’s enthusiasm for the Aquarium that for his second
birthday Wendy brought some of his marine friends to him. She was in the
late stages of pregnancy and confined to bed rest, so the family had staff
from the Oceanographic Teaching Station – the non-profit which operates
the Roundhouse Aquarium – come to their home in Manhattan Beach.
“What better thing could we do on his birthday?” she said. “He was jumping
around and happy. It was definitely a birthday party for him. He was
fascinated with the animals in the tanks.”
Even the field trips to the Roundhouse with his classmates from Robinson
Elementary were special days for Harrison.
“He was one of the lucky few who was able to kiss the sea cucumber,”
Wendy remembered. “He was fine with the idea. A lot of the kids would
cringe; they thought it was too slimy. He was fine because he’d touched
the animal so many times before.”
Harrison’s father, Michael Greenberg, is the co-founder and president of
Skechers, the popular, global shoe company based in Manhattan Beach. Although
Harrison grew up in affluence, his childhood had its difficulties. He
was unruly, and often in trouble. And until he filled out in his teen years,
he tended to be pudgy, for which he was mercilessly bullied.
24 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • February 8, 2018