CHRISTIAN JOHN LUHNOW

Christian J. Luhnow, a passionate sports enthusiast with a particular love for tennis, underwent elective shoulder surgery on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 to address a longstanding shoulder issue. Tragically, complications arose the following day when he experienced excessive pain and bleeding at the surgical site. While en route to his doctor, Chris suffered a massive “widowmaker” heart attack caused by an arterial blockage, most likely precipitated by the surgery. He received CPR immediately, and heroic efforts were made by the UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital staff. However, in the early hours of Thursday, January 9th, 2025, he passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family. We find solace in having been by his side to hold his hand and say our goodbyes. 

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Chris was born on August 20th, 1964 in New York City to Christian and Barbara “Bobbie” Luhnow. When he was six months old, his parents embarked on the grand adventure of relocating to Mexico, where they raised Chris and his two younger brothers, Jeffrey and David. Chris attended the American School in Mexico City but left for boarding school his junior year, graduating from St. Stephens Academy in Austin, Texas. He completed his undergraduate studies at Stanford University with a degree in Economics, and received an MBA from Wharton. 

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Chris was a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Yankees. The Cowboys, in particular, remained a passion. He was also a supremely talented athlete himself - standing out as a baseball pitcher in middle and high school, and a lifelong tennis player. Chris inspired his children to share his love for sports, with two of them going on to play college volleyball and the other two excelling in high school tennis. He coached countless Little League and soccer games for his two older children and was a constant presence on the sidelines, cheering them on (and yes, occasionally offering “tips” to improve).

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Chris had an entrepreneurial spirit that defined his professional life. After completing stints at both Dean Witter and Boston Consulting Group, he got his entrepreneurial career off to a fast start - purchasing and running Flightways Inc. as CEO then successfully selling it at the age of 29. He continued his work with startups as President of Petstore.com, where he was part of the team that raised $90M in venture capital, and Chairman/CEO of HRE Wheels, one of the top aftermarket luxury wheel brands in the world.  He also was one of the earliest venture capital investors in LA during his time as a partner at Evercore Ventures.  

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Chris’ true passion, however, was his family and close-knit circle of friends. Chris is survived by four children: Christian Heyler Luhnow and Katherine Locke Luhnow (both from his marriage to Kathy Heyler), and August Barber Luhnow and Edwin Maverick Luhnow (both from his marriage to Anna Barber). Chris found love again four years before he died with Felicia Ferraez, a lifelong friend from his Mexico school days, and they married just months before he passed away. Felicia was with him on the morning of the heart attack and made a valiant effort to perform CPR and get him to the hospital quickly. He is also survived by his two brothers, his father Christian A. Luhnow, and many nieces and nephews. 

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The one phrase that Chris’ family and many friends most often used to describe him was “larger than life.” Chris was blessed with looks, brains and bucketfuls of charm. His charisma left many in awe and was not easily forgotten. 

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The second phrase that most comes to mind is “a big heart.” Chris loved his large groups of friends from Mexico, Stanford, Wharton, and from his various workplaces. He had a passion for humanity: he was always eager to hear the stories of the shopkeepers, taxi drivers and waiters that he met in daily life. He would always remember their names. He was also a lifelong bird owner, and adored animals, especially ugly dogs that other people found hard to like but who were uniquely beautiful to Chris. 

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Like many tragic figures, Chris’ gifts came with their flaws. He struggled for most of his adult life with alcoholism, a disease he inherited. Alcohol in many ways suited him and played to his strengths as charismatic and open to the world. He could command a room with an improvised speech or observations. But it also ultimately hurt him and those close to him. He tried very hard over the years to recover, an ongoing battle that had many ups and downs. Even though he struggled with his disease, Chris never lost his passion for life and love of humanity. 

 

Chris’ death leaves a big hole in the hearts of those who loved him. For what is love other than the acceptance of a deeply flawed and troubled world that is nonetheless sacred and beautiful -- including ugly dogs.