Ronald Lyle Goldman was born on July 2, 1968 in Buffalo Grove, Illinois (a Chicago suburb). His birth parents, Fred and Sharon, divorced when Ron and his younger sister Kim were very small. Ron and Kim were then reared solely by their father -- and each other. This made for a tight, "you and me against the world" bond.

In 1987, Fred married Patti Glass, who, herself, had children. Patti and her children, Brian, Lauren and Michael were quickly accepted by Ron and Kim. Ron became protective of Lauren almost instantly -- to the point of firing a babysitter she said had been mean to her, and taking over himself.

1987 was also the year that the newly-blended Goldman family moved to California. Ron took to California "like a fish to water" as his father puts it.

Ron's warmth, charm and friendly attitude made him very popular with everyone he met.

Friends of Ron's have said that people just loved him, and loved to be around him because he was very genuine -- a rare thing in Southern California.

Ron would go out of his way to make people feel special, but he never patronized them. A good example of this was when Ron was doing volunteer work at the Westlake United Cerebral Palsy Residence Home. He would help the patients out of bed, bathe them, do their hair, and other tasks that we take for granted. He was also known to play music over the residence home's P.A. system and dance with the patients.

Another example of his kindness, says close friend and fellow Mezzaluna employee Stew Tanner, is the day he helped an Italian woman convert her money to U.S. dollars. Ron took the woman to a bank, and then showed her what each bill and coin was, and explained how much each was worth. "That's the kind of person he was," says Tanner.

Ron had a bright future ahead of him in the summer of 1994; he had plans for what he wanted his life to be, and it seemed, at the time of his death, to all be coming together. At the age of 25, Ron planned to get married, have a family, and open a restaurant/club.

A place where people could read their poetry, display art -- a place for fun and self-expression. The club, Ron said, would not have a name; but like The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, would be represented by a symbol - an ankh, the Egyptian symbol for eternal life.

Ron had a tattoo of an ankh on his shoulder, and wore one around his neck. It became his symbol; it captured his personality, and his bright outlook on life.

On June 12, 1994, Ron's bright world came to a violent end.

While returning glasses to Nicole Brown-Simpson, Ron stumbled upon her being murdered. Being the man he was, Ron stepped in to help -- but instead, lost his life alongside her in the dark, cold shadows of her garden.

He died because of his tremendous love for people. There's no way he could have just run away.

Ron is, and always will be, a hero.

The symbol of the ankh now adorns Ron's gravestone.
The necklace that he wore now hangs around the neck of his sister and soul mate, Kim.