We’re all still in shock and heartbroken over the tragic loss of Wesley LePatner during the shooting last week in Midtown.
My girls and I had the privilege of meeting Wesley through the solidarity mission she led through UJA-Federation following October 7th. Afterward she became a friend and mentor to all of us, but especially to my daughter, Caroline, who is headed to Goldman Sachs where Wesley spent the first 10 years of her career.
During the memorial last Thursday, Wesley’s husband Evan said he hoped there will be a lot (thousands, even millions!) of conversations about Wesley and all the good she did. So, I wanted to share one example of how she impacted our lives.
Following our trip to Israel, Caroline reached out to Wesley to take her up on her offer for mentorship. The reality is, people offer that all the time, but often there’s little follow through.
But Wesley was the exception. Mentorship was incredibly important to her. She met Caroline for lunch, shared insights about how to succeed in finance, and also introduced her to other young women who were a few years ahead of Caroline. By giving Caroline introductions to other women she’d mentored, Wesley created a network of young women supporting each other.
Wesley’s impact on our family made me realize something.
There’s something AI will never be able to replace: human connection. It can never replace someone who makes the time to talk to you, invests in you, cares about you, and wants you to succeed.
As one of her former colleagues wrote, Wesley “lifted everyone around her.” She genuinely wanted to see everyone win, and I know it will be a big part of Wesley’s legacy.
We’re all wondering what we can do in the face of this senseless tragedy. I propose that we take a leaf out of Wesley’s book. In honor of her commitment to mentoring young women, reach out to someone younger in your world and offer to sit down with them.
On Friday, I met with two younger women to help them navigate the next steps in their careers. They were so appreciative, and I felt like I was doing something good for them and the world. While there’s nothing I can do to bring Wesley back, I will continue to honor her legacy and pay it forward. I hope you’ll do the same.
8/5/25