Passing On (A Serious Note)
Emily Gentholts was born 7 years and 1 day after me. She was from Bozeman, and going to college in Minnesota. She was in Bozeman for the summer doing research and playing Ultimate. She died last Sunday in a car wreck coming back from an Ultimate Tournament in Salt Lake City. You can read her obituary from today’s paper here I had played Ulimate with her a handful of times and talked some at an Ultimate Party a couple weeks ago. She struck me as being extremely pleasant and thoughtful. The type of person who was usually smiling with positive things to say. The Wednesday before she died we were playing Ultimate on a typical pleasant Bozeman evening and I was complimenting her attire of grey sweatpants rolled up above her knees with tube socks.
The tournament in Salt Lake City was a tournament I was seriously thinking about going to. There was a car full of Bozeman Ultimate Players behind the car Emily was riding in who were the first on the scene. Apparently an animal was involved, and Emily was sleeping in the back seat without a seat belt on. Thankfully the driver of that car is very much ok. The driver of the other car was 8-months pregnant,she deIivered her baby by c-section that night. Last I heard she was in the hospital in critical condition. I was told the impact literally split the car Emily was riding in the backseat of in half.
In case you forgot, cars are dangerous. I had not really been giving that a lot of thought recently but this has certainly brought it to my attention. Please be careful.
It seems like I’ve known more people to die in this past year than the rest of my life combined. Most of them did not have the chance to grow old. Grandma, Eben’s friend Wade ( I did not know him but I do know he was way too young), my friend Joe’s father, who was also Kezia’s uncle, passed away a few months ago at 52, and now Emily. It is very easy to forget that people don’t live forever. I wish people would be nicer to each other sometimes. I don’t understand why that is so difficult.
I am so sorry about Emily and the other untimely deaths you mentioned. Do let’s be nice to each other! Thanks for the reminder.
I love you.
Your heartfelt words remind us all to make the most of life, be kind to others, be safe in cars and elsewhere. Your thoughtfulness is an inspiration.
I’m so sorry to hear of the losses you have experienced over the last year.
By now, I hope you have landed safely in Tokyo, and I can only imagine the happy reunion of the Sulock brothers. Tokyo, beware!
Here it is 7 months on since Emily’s passing and I have just come across your site. thanks for the nice words and thoughts.I have been thinking of Emily a lot today. She would have been in Tanzania on a field trip oh how I wish she was there! Your site has been a nice touch to end the day. She is very much missed by both jane & I.
Hi David.
I met you very briefly when you and your wife stopped by our Ultimate practice. In spite of everything you’d been through you two seemed very warm and friendly.
In case you didn’t know the Bozeman team jersey’s all have a reminder of Emily on the sleeve. I believe it was a necklace she wore.
Thank you for your comment. Emily was a real sweetheart. Probably what I remember best is that it seemed like she was always smiling. I’m very sure she is missed by many many people.
Michael Sulock