Last weekend we found ourselves at a first, a 'drive by' celebration of life. A deadly tubing outing on Sugar River for 25 year old Ben Belzer had brought his family and friends to one of our city's parks where cars were directed to a side entrance of Myrick Park to line up in a procession.
All cars were given a 2 sided handout en route with a couple photos. The folks handing out these out were masked as were we.
The car in front of us had decorated their rear window and when someone they knew walked over to hug them, she directed them to park. So they left the line, parked and walked up to the large pavilion. The 20+ year olds looked like they were probably Ben's former school buddies maybe from SOTA/ his Waldorf school days...
La Crosse's Three Rivers Waldorf School was our connection being there. Ben's parents were instrumental in starting the school in La Crosse and Natureman's wife had been Ben's kindergarten teacher. She would have been proud of her former student, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate who had worked for U.S. Congressman Ron Kind and at Blumenfeld & Associates, LLC and had become personal assistant to Wisconsin's Governor Tony Evers.
The following was Governor Evers's statement giving insight into the young man whose life we were there to remember:
"Ben was simply incomparable. He was remarkably talented and, even at 25, thoughtful and mature beyond his years. He was exceptionally bright and inquisitive, and he had a thirst for knowledge and understanding of our state and our world. He brought out the best of us with his wit, never shying away from a laugh even in the most frustrating of times. Ben was always optimistic about how we could be part of making this world a better place. He brought an unrelenting joy and drive to his job and the work we do each day, and it resonated with every person we met, everywhere we went."
"Months ago, as we asked folks to limit their interactions to a circle of five people or less during this pandemic, and someone asked who was among my five people—Ben was. I am grateful and humbled that I had the great fortune of spending as much time with Ben as I did. I talk frequently of our Wisconsin values of kindness, respect, empathy, and compassion—Ben was truly the embodiment of these qualities. Through the most challenging of times since joining our team and especially these past few months, Ben came to work in earnest service of the people of Wisconsin and he did it with unmatched enthusiasm, grace, and humility. I could never have asked for a better partner in serving the people of our state.
"We are devastated by Ben's death, and our thoughts and prayers are with Ben's family and friends as we all mourn the loss of an exceptional young man who was taken from us far, far too soon."
Along the slow moving line as it neared the pavilion was a small memorial with flowers, followed by photo poster boards, and a print of State Street in Madison and also a beer print which I assume was his beer of choice. Another masked person handed each car a clipboard with a sign in sheet and sanitizer. Eventually there was a card basket station where we could leave our card.
Ben's big brother and parents were standing towards the end. Most folks didn't stop to talk. The truck in front of us did, but Ben's folks's exhausted eyes told it all and they still had at least another hour to go. I asked Natureman if he wanted to say something and he shook his head no. We just nodded, and drove by.
That was it. So sad. But in the time of COVID, this is how it has to be. Just another unprecedented 'new' normal...
wow, that's heartbreaking. Such a loss and then to not even be able to get hugs from your community. : (
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad loss and in a difficult time to mourn together. These are the times we need human touch the most and it's so cruel not to be able to express ourselves with hugs and comforting touch.
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