As many have heard by now, Atlanta's commercial real estate industry lost one of its bright young stars last week, CBRE's Hayden Blanchard to cancer. We spoke with Hayden's twin brother, Blanchard Real Estate’s Parker Blanchard about his brother. Both Hayden and Parker, 33, jumped into the industry after graduating from UGA in 2004—Parker selling shopping centers and Hayden building homes. A few years later, Hayden made the switch to commercial real estate with MOBs and office projects. “We never crossed paths. I am extremely grateful for this. He would've crushed me,” Parker says
Perhaps the greatest miracle was that Hayden and his wife Shelly (seen here) conceived even during his treatment, and together now have a six-month-old son Thomas Hayden. More than 2,000 people attended Hayden's memorial service, which Parker credits for Hayden's ability to make everyone feel important. “He was also very loving, had a huge heart and had thousands of friends.” Even when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and given a grim prognosis, Parker says his brother wouldn't let it get him down. “He ignored the naysayers. He worked like hell, and he didn't give up. His life, albeit short, was filled with tremendous purpose.”
Cushman & Wakefield's Mike Elting became close to Hayden over the past two years. And with good reason. Mike himself is a cancer survivor, and for those who have experienced that kind of hell, there's a fraternity formed that few things can compare. Last spring, Mike was one of the many who participated in a benefit walk for Hayden last year where participants were given wrist bands with “Team Hayden” printed on them. “And it's still on my wrist. I haven't taken it off,” Mike says. Hayden had “real depth to him. And he was such a fighter. He fought to the end, and I think it was just his nature.” To contribute in Hayden's memory, family ask to go here.
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