About Simon – Our Guy
Remembering Simon J. Mariani
A Life of Purpose and Passion
Simon John Mariani, age 28, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, lived a life marked by excellence, dedication, and compassion. Born on November 3, 1996, Simon touched countless lives through his professional achievements and personal warmth.
A proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Simon earned undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Economics in 2019, followed by an MBA in Finance in 2024. He was a certified CPA who worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers before joining MTS Health Partners in New York City.
Beyond his professional success, Simon was devoted to his family, passionate about the outdoors, and an enthusiastic supporter of sports, music, and the arts. His legacy lives on through the foundation established in his honor.
A Life of Excellence
Education
University of Notre Dame graduate with degrees in Accounting and Economics (2019) and MBA in Finance (2024). Certified Public Accountant.
Professional
Three years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, followed by Associates position at MTS Health Partners in NYC. Known for intellect, integrity, and teamwork.
Outdoor Passion
Loved hiking, skiing, golfing, fishing, and boating. Recently hiked Angel's Landing at Zion National Park and visited Utah's Big 5 National Parks.
Personal Values
Devoted to family, passionate about sports (Yankees, Devils, Jets, Notre Dame, ManU), music (Taylor Swift, Jimmy Buffet), and the arts (painting, photography).
"Driven, dedicated, smart, likeable and exceptionally talented"
Simon Had the Heart of a Champion
As an example of Simon’s Heart of a Champion and his zest for life Simon attended almost every Notre Dame home football, ice hockey and basketball games to “cheer cheer cheer for Old Notre Dame”. Simon and a small group of similar students were dubbed SuperFans a/k/a the “ND Whiteboard Crew” and the article below was written about them and they were interviewed; their “whiteboard sayings” were staples at men’s ND college basketball home games.
The Hat!
That Hat! OMG
I’m not quite sure when he got the hat, if I had to guess it would have been during the NJ Devils run to win the Stanley Cup in 2003. Simon and his Dad were in attendance for game 7 when Goalie Marty Brodeur (the famous “Marty’s Better” chant that Simon and his Dad would cheer and come home with hoarse voices.) shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 for the victory and the Cup. If you ever see a newspaper clipping of the team celebrating on the ice after that victory – you might see a little blonde boy, age 7, sitting on the shoulders of his Dad – that’s Simon. It was one of Simon’s fondest and most cherished memories – to cheer on and see his favorite team win it all.
The hat is a one size fits all. . . so yes, in the early days it never did quite fit right. It hung low over his brow and ears. However, that was quintessential Simon, always thinking and looking to the future knowing someday he’d grow into it. He really loved that hat. . . that hat went everywhere. He wore it ALL THE TIME!
Wherever Simon went, the hat was sure to be there. It went to the beach, it went to church, it went to school, it went on family vacations and outings, it went to college and it went to NY Yankee and NY Jet games. Just hoping the magic would rub off and he’d see another one of his teams win a championship. That hat and the magic worked when the NY Yankees won Game 6 of the World Series in 2009 when they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies for their 27th World Series title. Again, Simon was in attendance, with the hat, to witness CC Sabathia and Mariano Riveria win it all in the Bronx. Unfortunately, though the hat was never able to work ANY magic for the NY Jets. No matter how often he wore it to the Meadowlands, the Jets just couldn’t pull off a win.
You always knew when Simon was home – seeing the hat hanging on the coat rack. You know, I miss that hat leaving the house. I miss seeing Simon wearing that hat. I miss joking with him that the hat had seen better days and that he should get a replacement. Nowadays, the hat got a placement upgrade … the hat has its own place of honor sitting in our family room for all to see. That old, worn and ratty-looking hat was a well-loved hat indeed!
Simon - The Heart of a Champion
Always ready to play and always ready to compete. . . A really special young man and spirit for our team.
Simon - Our Guy
Simon was born November 3, 1996, at St Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, NJ. He was a happy baby with a ready smile and laugh, except when he was hungry. He loved his toys, especially anything that was yellow and his Tonka construction trucks. He loved driving his dump truck that we called “Big Jake”. His passion was visiting various construction sites, take some pictures and watch the diggers, dump trucks and bulldozers do their thing. Friday was show-and-tell day at school, and every Friday he would ALWAYS take his yellow photo album of different construction trucks – the teacher eventually asked me if Simon had any other favorite toys he could bring.
As Simon grew older, his dad and I noticed that he had a knack for numbers. Simon had an affinity for numbers; he could reduce anything to a number… even his Halloween candy. Every year he would graph his Halloween candy. He preferred to count his candy rather than eat it. To say math class was his favorite subject was a complete understatement!
Simon also loved sports. He loved watching his favorite teams in person and/or on the TV. When his team lost, he felt it all the way to his soul. This passion carried over into his own playing days. His two favorite sports to play were soccer and ice hockey. His position in both sports was goalie. Simon didn’t like to rely on someone else to win or lose a game; if he was going to lose, he wanted to be the reason why. God how he loved being the goalie.
All through high school, Simon was adamant that he was going to attend Villanova University. His dad was an alumnus, and they would watch the basketball team whenever their games were televised. He loved going to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament. He wanted to be a Wildcat… that was until he visited the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The minute he stepped onto that campus, he looked at his dad and I and said, “This is where I want to go to school.”
He enjoyed his years at Notre Dame and Game Day was his favorite day – be it a football, basketball or a hockey game. Simon was a HUGE fan of it all. He would bleed Irish green when they lost and be ecstatic when they won. He was great at post-game analysis regarding coaching decisions and play calling. His head was filled with player stats, and he could recall ever little detail and nuance of each game … be 1 year, 2 years or 5 years later. He was a walking talking statistical player encyclopedia.
While in college, Simon also enjoyed being a referee in the Notre Dame intramural rec program. He was the type of referee that called it as he saw it. No one was more aware of the rules of the game, and no one was more fair or unbiased.
Simon didn’t just go to Notre Dame for their sports; he also went there for the academics. He excelled at his schoolwork. As a student, he was conscientious, diligent and always prepared both in his undergraduate and graduate courses.
Simon was in his first year at PWC as an auditor when the Co-vid quarantine went into effect. He worked at our kitchen table. That time is so ingrained in my mind … he started his workday early and ended it late … I know because I wasn’t allowed to bang one pot or pan in that kitchen until his workday was through. The evil eye … I know it well.
His two younger sisters looked up to him. They sought out his advice, opinions and approval. In return, Simon was extremely protective of them. He guarded them, even when they were unaware of his watchful gaze. He loved his family. He enjoyed talking and listening to all the latest happenings. Family game nights were always fun. They were the best of times!
Simon wore his heart on his sleeve. He was a loyal and solid brother and friend and expected the same in return. If you needed help with anything, all you had to do was ask and he would be there. He was a staunch ally to have in your corner. Simon will be sorely missed by his family and friends for God broke the mold on the day Simon was born.
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