Their introduction occurred in the chaos of a large family Thanksgiving in Carroll, Iowa. The baby was nestled in a basinet perched on a massive television in the basement. Mark Fitzsimmons peered inside before a member of the sports-crazed brood told him to stop blocking the football game.
Thus ended a heartwarming moment with his baby cousin, Nick Nurse.
Years passed. The boys became men with lives. Nurse, after a nomadic career as a basketball coach, became an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. Fitzsimmons headed to California, eventually landing in New York City, where he lives and works in the technology sector.