I’ve been meaning to write this for quite a while… but, you know… cancer.

Anyway, today I’m feeling better, and I don’t want to let this full-circle moment slip by undocumented.

Over the last year, I had the honor of serving as President of the Society of American Magicians, the oldest and most prestigious magic organization in the world. At the end of a president’s term, it’s tradition for past presidents to receive a “Founder’s Bust”; a beautiful, limited-edition sculpture of Harry Houdini himself. These aren’t mass-produced; they’re rare, historic, and gorgeous.

I’ve always attempted to be an “easy-going, low-expectations” kind of person in situations like this, so I assumed I wouldn’t get one. Maybe they were all gone. Maybe the supply had vanished into thin air. And honestly, it didn’t matter. This is a volunteer role, and we do it not for the souvenirs but because we love the art. My own focus was on unifying different voices and reminding folks that we’re all here for the same reason: to keep magic thriving.

Still, this story has a twist ending worthy of a magician.

In January, I was in Atlanta for our national council meeting, which coincided with the Atlanta Assembly’s 100th anniversary. While there, I spent time with Carol Garrett. I’ve known Carol for years, and I’ve long been in awe of her husband, Dan Garrett. In fact, my very first magic convention, the Winter Carnival of Magic, was where I first saw him. There I was, wandering the halls alone, when I spotted Dan Garrett walking among us mere mortals. My brain short-circuited. I rushed over to my mentor (a dealer at the convention) and breathlessly whispered, “That’s a past president of the S.A.M. over there!” Moments later, Dan strolled over, started chatting with my mentor, and before I knew it, the two were swapping techniques like old friends (BECAUSE THEY WERE!). I just stood there, wide-eyed, mouth hanging open—the dictionary definition of “mouth breather.”

Years later, I got to actually know Dan, and he turned out to be even better than I imagined, a true gentleman of magic. He’d often tell me each time we met that it might be his last convention because traveling was getting harder. And yet, like clockwork, there he’d be. The pull of magic is just too strong for some of us.

That January in Atlanta, Carol quietly handed Dan’s own Founder’s Bust to our national administrator, Manon, and asked that it be given to me. When I found out, still in Atlanta, I was moved to tears.

Now, post-presidency, Dan’s Founder’s Bust sits on my mantel. The national council and Carol went above and beyond, they kept Dan’s original nameplate on the back and placed a new one on the front for me. I like to think that someday, this very bust will continue its journey to future S.A.M. presidents, a baton passed from one generation to the next, not just in leadership but in friendship, kindness, and the shared mission to elevate the art of magic.

Because magic isn’t just about tricks. It’s about connection, humanity, and caring for each other. And sometimes, the most magical thing in the room… is the person handing you the baton.