T. Boone Pickens, the legendary oilman who died Wednesday, kept a tight-knit circle. Most of the people who worked with him were there for decades and were like family.
Jay Rosser, his chief of staff for 22 years said Pickens was a mythic figure who told it like it was and had a wicked sense of humor.
Pickens died at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday peacefully -- which is not at all how he lived his life.
"He was the ultimate disrupter in so many positive ways," Rosser said.
Rosser was the man behind T. Boone Pickens. He saw it all.
"He was like a second father to me, especially when he launched the Pickens Plan in 2008. We traveled, literally the world, together and I got to hear some of the great iconic Boone stories," Rosser said.
Pickens was the best man in Rosser's wedding and rushed to meet his baby girl when she was born. Most of the pictures in Rosser's phone are behind the scenes, Pickens with various presidents, celebrities and talk show hosts.
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"He had a wicked sense of humor," Rosser said. "He could tell so many great stories and jokes to illustrate a point."
Rosser said without a doubt, giving is at the center of Pickens' legacy. He remembered one December when Christmas bonuses were about to be delivered to Pickens' staff.
"I remember Boone at the dinner table saying, 'Look guys, tomorrow you're going to get bonuses and they're going to be pretty substantial bonuses and I want you to do what I've done and that's be generous with it. Give.'"
