Three weeks ago, a friend to me and many others, Nathaniel Prinzi, began a two year incarceration period. While he is now expected to get out as early as August 2009, I still find it troubling that loads of “Drug Bust” articles all pop up as soon as I google his name.
Nat deserves a fresh start and a blank slate when he gets out, that is why I am commencing “Operation: Nat’s A Good Guy”. I am inviting all those who know him to share your stories of all the positive things Nat has done for you.
The goal is to give this page enough traffic and comments so as to overshadow the “Drug Bust” articles and top them all in the google search.
Here are my own Nat stories:
*Nat once took me to the gym every day for a week to help me work out an exercise routine to get in shape for senior year of high school.
*He was one of the first kids I ever saw make films on imovie and acted as one of the chief inspirations for my own video career.
*He encouraged me with the first satire newspaper I launched, “The Slice”, and would give me ideas for articles and let me take credit for them.
*He introduced me to Dallas BBQ. Those wings are chronic!!
*He also introduced me to Taking Back Sunday, the only emo band I tolerate.
So that’s a start, I know there are many others who know him way better than I do. I invite you all to share your stories and help restore our friend’s good name and help him get the fresh start he deserves.
Please write your stories in the comments section below. Let “Operation: Nat’s A Good Guy” begin!
13 Comments
January 4, 2009 at 4:56 pm
*nat was one of the big drives that got me to start working out and I would not be in the good shape i’m in now if I never had gotten that start (yes I am arrogant enough now to know that no one could take me…other than bruce lee of course). (
*Nat is one of the very few people who has been, and is still able to grasp the reality of most of life’s situations and perhaps figure out the best way to approach them, something most people never seem to understand in their lifetimes. He most definitely taught me more then I’ll let him know.
*Nat is much more of a philosopher then he will let on, and those philosophies always tend to be quite profound and true.
*The kind of person you know would have your back in almost any situation, someone who’s respect felt like an honor to gain.
*Clearly I’m big on using what are perhaps completely unnecessarily deep explanations that describe much simpler concepts. I only do this because I can’t think of, much less write all of the things I would want to.
*With that, if you know Nat, and actually know him in person, then you know he is a good guy, and much more than that, and like he did for me I will have his back whenever he could use a helping hand.
January 6, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Nathaniel Prinzi is one of the better people I know, and I am proud and lucky to count myself among his close friends. To date Nathaniel Prinzi is one of the only people I know who, for better or worse, has pretty much always spoken his mind and been truly honest with me. Over the course of the last few years I have seen Nathaniel Prinzi become an extremely caring and thoughtful person, and a fierce, loyal friend. His incarceration is extremely regrettable and baseless, proving the ineptitude of the justice system. Yet, Nathaniel Prinzi has faced his adversity with great courage. May we all be blessed with such courage and strength. Now the things he has done which make him special to me:
**As well as Teddy and Louis, I have had Nathaniel Prinzi as a gym partner. Especially over the last year or so he has been really helpful. Both for his knowledge and great ability to motivate, he is a great person to work out with.
**Nathaniel Prinzi has always provided a consistent place to crash if you needed it.
**Nathaniel Prinzi is, as I said, fiercly loyal friend who is always willing to defend those he is close to.
**Nathaniel Prinzi is a really great chef, who is always cooking. Him and his mother’s cooking account for a lot of the home cooked meals I have a year, something I am eternally grateful for. A few things about the way Nat cooks: 1) The food Nat cooks is always healthy, and rich in protein. 2) He is always generous with his food, willing to cook almost anything in his home for his friends, asking nothing in return.
**For me, Nat has been a really great soundboard. Able to listen, without judging, only giving advise when asked (and even then he usually doesn’t pick sides.).
**Overall, Nathaniel Prinzi is a great person. I am blessed to know him, and know that about him, and I hope that you are too.
**Anyone who writes on this should make sure to use his full name every time you reference Nathaniel Prinzi, because otherwise it won’t come up on the google search.
January 6, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I have known Nat most of his life. I want to say that when I am with him–he always makes me smile.
He is considerate to others and is always available to give a lending hand. When he heard that I had a broken toe and had to get the program I work at ready for September (school)–he came can helped out. He made sure I did not lift anything. I am the kind of person who can’t sit still–but he made sure I did not stress myself out.
He is a fantastic cook and has an infectious smile.
My family and I love him unconditionally!
January 6, 2009 at 7:38 pm
As a friend of Nat’s mom, Lishin, I’ve only known Nat for part of the last year. While I’ve met Nat a few times, most of what I know about Nathaniel Prinzi is what I’ve heard from his mom and his mom’s friends. I’ve read some of his mom’s dispatches where she shares portions of Nat’s letters from incarceration. What strikes me about Nat is his selflessness and caring spirit. He is more concerned about his mom, his dad, his sisters his extended family and the welfare of his friends on the outside than he is about himself. He has a good heart and it’s evident that he loves his parents, family and friends very much. He is a very caring, intelligent, and communicative young man. I have no doubt that Nat will do great things upon his release and will find his true purpose in life. Being the person that he is, most likely it will involving leveraging his current experience to help others. I look forward to his release and hope to witness the great things that he’ll do in the near future.
January 10, 2009 at 9:41 am
Nathaniel Prinzi is one of the most terrific, kind hearted and caring people I know. Let me begin this by saying their is no way a short blurb about all the good things Nathaniel Prinzi is, to me, could even scratch the surface on his benevolence.
Nathaniel Prinzi showed me what it meant to find family in friends. Nathaniel Prinzi would do anything to make the people he cares about comfortable. Nathaniel will always lend a helping hand when you are down without thinking twice. Nathaniel Prinzi will cook you one of the most delicious meals you’ll ever eat (his cleaning skills might not be the best though
).
As I said this brief list barely does justice to the incredible friend, and truly altruistic human that Nathaniel Prinzi is. I love Nathaniel Prinzi and he is a great guy.
January 10, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Now you’re thinking, this is a good idea. Nat worked with me the year before he went off to school . Always a pleasure to be around him, never an unkind word about anyone, if he had them, he kept those thoughts to himself. That is something not alot of people are capable of. We spent many hours together that year, he’s a worker, and a quick learner. Nat watched out for me and made sure that all the camera gear was ready to go and was kept in good working condition, I never heard him bitch about any of the stupid stuff that I asked him to do for me, he fit in with the rest of the crew and was very well liked by all who met him. I know that he will do fine where he’s at now, and will come out of it a stronger man.
January 11, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Much as I count the days until he is back among the family and friends that love him; I know that Nat, by his very being, is a positive influence on those currently around him. I don’t know is there’s a ‘reason’ for all this — the world works so mysteriously — but I am sure that Nat is doing good for others. It is his nature. They may not know it yet, but even those CO’s — doing their CO thing — are going to eventually be touched by Nat’s inherent kindness and spirit.
February 20, 2009 at 12:15 am
I met Nathaniel Prinzi twelve years ago in 1997, when we were in fifth grade and his best friend was Logan Hersh.
We grew up together, along with Owen Rosenblum, Mike Freeman, Kevin Kennedy, Will Levine, Emily Kaiser etc. We watched each other turn from child, to teen, to whatever we are now, and most of us, from what I can tell, have never really changed. When I met Nat he was empathetic, loyal, loving and introspective, and he always will be, these are traits that define his very being. He has also always been a warrior and will conquer his present circumstances with strength and grace. Nat is very easy to love and he absolutely deserves it. The last time I talked to him was about a year ago when there was Kevin drama in New York. He is a wonderful guy who loves his friends, he was very caring and wise about Kevin.
We were never best friends, I always innately kept my distance from most Calhouners, but between us there was a powerful unspoken bond. Nat suffers from a high degree of emotional intelligence and we could read each other. I could see in him, a soul driven by love and plagued by sadness, a mind sharp, tough, thoughtful and aware.
Something like this will define your life only how you let it and I don’t think this, or anything, could change Nat from the person I met all those years ago. If he can beat this, he can do anything. I have the utmost faith in Nat, and he will always have my love and respect.
March 22, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Every person who grew up in New York City is connected via some short and easily traceable degree of separation. Nat and I had about two such degrees between us and when we reached Skidmore College in the fall of 2006, we bridged the gap effortlessly.
Life as I knew it was changed radically when I arrived at college (bad attitude in tow) and next to nothing could have made a city kid at ease in the big, empty feeling air that was upstate New York. But then there was Nat. Nat was a mirror to me in those days; with no anchor in my life, I could always count on him to show me how to manage what seemed impossible.
Nat, friendly commiseration and an understanding ear were always sitting in the common room working on an art project, just across the hall listening to music, outside with the smokers telling stories.
Nat, showing me how it was to be comfortable among friends both new and old. Showing me that it was possible to find a balance in all things. Showing me that friends were things to be guarded and kept as sacred.
Nat, making me laugh when all I wanted to do was run away from myself, inviting me to share his stockpile of food well after the dining hall had closed, letting me borrow his art supplies without a second thought.
Nat, excitedly pulling out picture after picture drawn by his little sisters and making sure I understood how brilliant they were. I can still see him pulling a photograph of them down from his desk telling me that if I was ever threatened, he would defend me with everything he could muster, but as he put the photograph of the tiny girls back on highest part of his desk, he let me know that as impossibly fast as he would jump to a friend’s defense, he could always summon the extra power to jump to his little sister’s, quicker.
Nat, a loyal friend, an understanding soul, a generous human being.
Nat, a person who, if luck favors you, will find his way into your life because there are few out there possessing as genuine an idea of companionship and compassion as he. Without him, I would have been next to alone that first semester at college and I have him, in large part, to thank for helping me see that it was possible.
May 15, 2009 at 8:20 pm
I never knew Nat, but I sympathize with him and feel for his family and close friends. I am sure that his positive character, of which you all describe, will find its place in a dismal setting. I was one of the 8 Skidmore students accused of being in a “drug-ring”, and spent four months in Saratoga County Jail. That was the worst time of my life and I am glad to have that in the past. Personally I found it very comforting and uplifting to recieve mail, even a few words from someone meant so much. If anyone could please post his mailing address I would like to send him a letter. Thank you
August 1, 2009 at 7:19 am
prinzi is a good guy granted i cant speak for him outside the fence but on the inside he was an inspiration,i was locked up with him for 8months granted he likes his dunks high and pants tight inside joke he was a rolemodel to a person like me if that doesnt work try and google my name issssh
September 25, 2009 at 10:05 pm
nat’s name just popped into my head and i googled him to find this out and i am bummed to hear it.
i worked with him & his father on tv show a couple years ago. he was always cool to work with.
i got nabbed in 2001 for 5th degree marijuana possession in Manhattan
under the Guiliani years.
hopefully nat is out by now and fresh starts are especially possibly in NYC.
good luck and much love,
c diddy
October 25, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Nat is very, very special. In addition to his excellent fitness and biting wit, he also “has a quiet confidence that makes him seem older.” – Henry David Thoreau. Furthermore, I’m told that he can bake, so hang on to your hats ladies, una mezcla of Italian and Chinese descents make for some wicked fusion delights
. On an unrelated note, Nat is quick to recognize his awkward phase and too, is uniquely willing to accompany his verbal description with visual evidence. I personally have been the beneficiary of many of such visuals, and can say with abundant confidence, that Nat had one of the most awkward of awkward phases this dimension has ever known. This speaks to his immanent modesty as well as his understanding that an argument lacking a multimedia component is a fruitless battle. Kay awesome bye.