From Brooklyn to the Hudson Valley
“I’m just your everyday local citizen here in Hudson Valley,” Pagan said. “I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. We moved up here just the day before they shut everything down from COVID, 2020.” The move north was inspired by family connections and a desire to leave the city behind. “I had an uncle who lived in Newburgh for many years, and I’ve always wanted to move out of the city,” he explained.
Pagan shared that the move also allowed his family to experience more space, nature, and a slower pace of life. “It was the right moment for us. My wife was hesitant at first, but seeing kids playing in backyards and feeling the community here made her see the value in moving,” he said. The transition from city life to the Hudson Valley, though sudden, set the stage for both his family’s new beginnings and the inspiration behind StillHear.
Family and personal inspiration
StillHear was born from deeply personal experiences. “It was a quiet evening at home. I observed my wife listening to voicemails from her mother, who passed away over five years ago, and I saw how much comfort it gave her,” Pagan said. His wife is a cancer survivor, and the couple’s experiences with health challenges also made him reflect on life’s uncertainty. “I survived a pulmonary embolism at 41 years old. A lot of people who suffer pulmonary embolisms pass away from it,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. I was healthy one day, and the next day I was in the hospital.”
Those moments led him to think about what many people avoid—our own mortality. “I wanted to create something I could provide for my sons in the future. They’ll remember our faces because there are a lot of pictures, but our voices—they’ll lose them. It becomes a memory and fades away over time.” That realization inspired him to create a way to preserve those voices. “I wanted something that could remind them of us, so I started something where I could schedule a phone call now and have it show up during the moments that matter most to them—birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion.”
For his oldest son, Zak Pagan, the service takes on even more significance. “He’s learning to fly, very smart beyond belief,” Albie said. Thinking decades ahead, he reflected on his own longevity. “I’m turning 50 this year. Thirty years from now, I could be 80. Who knows what could happen? I want to make sure my voice is there for him, even if I’m not physically present.”
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Recently, Albie scheduled a message to Zak for his birthday in 2035. “It was way more emotional than I thought it would be. I was tearing up and choking up. He doesn’t know yet—he’ll hear it in 2035—but it’s important to me that he feels my presence, even years from now.”
Even in the early days, the emotional impact of the service is clear. “People who have used the service have had a deeply emotional response. They said, ‘I’m going to use this service right away,’” Pagan shared.
The power of a voice
StillHear allows users to record messages that arrive at meaningful moments—birthdays, holidays, weddings, or any occasion. “These are the calls no one expects,” Pagan explained. “It’s a phone call from heaven, pretty much. I would do anything to hear my mother’s voice again. That’s what StillHear is about—you’re still here, you’re still heard.”
Messages are stored securely until they are delivered as scheduled phone calls. After delivery, retention periods vary by plan. Messages in the Starter plan are deleted 30 days after delivery, Family plan messages are kept for 24 months, and Legacy plan messages are stored for five years, with the option to renew and extend the storage period. Users can request a download of their messages before deletion.
“We see everybody’s voice as sacred. We protect it,” Pagan said.
Legacy and looking ahead
For Pagan, StillHear is about legacy and presence. “People leave material things—property, land, money—but hearing a ‘Happy Birthday’ from someone you thought you’d never hear from again, that’s true legacy,” he said. “Love shouldn’t be silent. Your voice should always be heard.”
StillHear also gives back to the community. Pagan shared that some children lose parents too young to remember their voices. “If we had this back then, hearing a parent’s voice encouraging them would have been a beautiful gift. StillHear can give comfort and connection when it’s needed most.”
Looking ahead, Pagan envisions expanding StillHear with physical keepsakes like birthday cards with handwritten notes and QR codes linking to recorded messages—or even teddy bears with embedded audio. “This is just the first phase,” he said. “We want to help thousands of families feel that comfort and connection.”
“Even if it’s just one family, that will mean a lot to me. StillHear is about still being there for your loved ones, still being present, even if you can’t physically be there. You’re still here. Still heard.”
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