09/28/2026
Yesterday afternoon we celebrated the fantastic and wonderfully impactful life of David Kahn, father to Jackie Kahn and Dan Kahn. I met the David in 1996 (photo #2 is actually the first night I was ever at the Kahn home, and it was the first start for Dan’s Nordic boat that he and his dad restored in their garage), and he was like a second father to me. My dad gave me the Porsche side of the car world, and David gave me the domestic side. When I was a teenager, David was always available with sage advice and a smile. As I got older, he was always available with sage advice and a smile, though I found myself in the Kahn home less often than when I was 17 or 18 years old. But the door to the house was always open to me, and I would occasionally pop by just to check in and say hello.
One afternoon, not long after my wife, Aimee, had passed away, I happened to be in the neighborhood with my son, so we did a drop by to see the Kahns. David was out in the garage, of course, and he lit up when he saw my son, Carson. I asked David if he would show my kiddo the cars and give my son a ride in the Ferrari, but instead of saying yes he handed me the keys. It was a MAJOR moment for me; not because it was a Ferrari, but because David was smiling so big and he was so happy to pass that torch to me. The “car-nival ride” for the car-loving kids was now my responsibility. He handed me the keys and said, “There are only three people who can drive my Ferrari, Marco. You, Andrew, and Danny.” To have earned David’s trust like this meant the world to me. He ended up giving me the keys to the F12, the C8, and the DB12…I passed on the Hellcat because I didn’t want to make the neighbors too angry. LOL
That was the last time I saw David, unfortunately. The last few years were rough for him health-wise. But I am SO glad it’s the last memory I got to make with him. His smile, his jovial demeanor, the way he walked, his kindness … David was one of those guys who, across 30 years, managed to be a mentor, a parent, and a friend to me, a kid who wasn’t his own. I am grateful to have met him, and I am grateful to be considered a part of the Kahn family.
