Obituary

Gershom "Gary" Cardonick / Twisty the Clown

CARDONICK GERSHOM "GARY" was born on January 5, 1967 and was renamed during Israel's Six-day War after Moses' son, Gershom as his parents dreamed of someday moving to Israel. A shy child, he was very intelligent and creative. His early reading preference was a set of encyclopedias and he enjoyed taking things apart to discover how they work. During Summer vacations, his favorite pastime was building an impressive haunted house in his basement with his brother and friends, charging just enough admission to cover the cost of materials. In his early teens he began a hobby in Magic and quickly became proficient. Under the name The Great Gershom, he performed magic shows for children's parties and corporate events. After graduating with a Business Degree, he moved to Coral Springs, a beautiful town outside of Ft Lauderdale, Florida where he was able to redefine himself. Going by the name Gary, he worked out often and developed an impressive physique. For the fifteen-minute ride to Pompano Beach, he could choose either his jeep or his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Dissatisfied with "normal" work, he bravely followed his dreams in the entertainment industry. He created a year-round professional haunted house and magic shop called The Best Little Horror House in Florida; complete with a maze, a sliding bookcase revealing a hidden passage, a mad scientist's lab containing a living headless woman, a smoke-breathing dragon under a lifting staircase and much more. He and his employees loved scaring people, but would gladly tone it down for young children. Later, he built a career out of his favorite skill - Balloon Sculpting. As Twisty the Clown, he enjoyed entertaining children and adults alike with such creations as ET, Tweetybird and Sylvester, Marvin the Martian, Bugs Bunny, a moving Ferris wheel, "The mouse that ate the meatball" and a motorcycle that enthusiasts could instantly recognize as being a Harley. He was often told, even by professionals that his balloon sculptures were the best they'd ever seen. He also had a large assortment of carnival equipment such as bounce-houses, cotton candy machine, snow cone maker, popcorn machine and more. He truly enjoyed working for himself and often encouraged his employees and friends to do the same and lent his equipment to them so that they could someday start businesses of their own. He loved helping people and often performed free shows for charitable events. When anyone needed a hand with any problems he offered assistance without needing to be asked. He accumulated a large circle of friends who all agree that they would not have known each other if it weren't for him. He had monthly parties in his apartment, frequently with a theme corresponding to the holiday or event. His Halloween parties were beyond belief with special effects and elaborate costumes. Ultimately, however a recent onset of hereditary depression proved to be more than he could handle. He left us suddenly on Thursday, April 15 2004. He took with him all of his deepest thoughts and the answers to the questions that will forever be wondered by all of us who love him and will miss him forever. His Funeral was in Florida on Monday, April 19. Gersh would want his passing to serve as a message to anyone suffering from depression. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself or others, please seek help by calling Suicide Prevention Hotline 1800-SUICIDE (784-2433), as well as seek professional assistance.