Last weekend was my 25 year reunion high school reunion near Spokane, Washington. Unfortunately I couldn't make it because I'm flying up next month for IMCDA. One of my classmates, Eric Molstead from Portland, Oregon flew his plane to the reunion. On his way back to Portland he crashed and died just short of the airport.
Needless to say our class was devastated. I remember Eric as a plane enthusiast while in school. He would carve his own designs from Balsa wood, paint them, mount an engine and fly them. He later became an airplane mechanic. The cause of the crash is not yet known.
Many people will say at least he died doing what he loved. And I think this is true. I read a quote from the book "Flyboys" where Dolittle says if he died at 40 living his life as a pilot he'd have felt like he had a full life.
I love triathlons and biking but I really don't want my obit to say I died while riding (unless I'm about 100 years old at the time). At the same time, I realize life is full of risk and to shy away from them diminishes us.
Life is precious.
Needless to say our class was devastated. I remember Eric as a plane enthusiast while in school. He would carve his own designs from Balsa wood, paint them, mount an engine and fly them. He later became an airplane mechanic. The cause of the crash is not yet known.
Many people will say at least he died doing what he loved. And I think this is true. I read a quote from the book "Flyboys" where Dolittle says if he died at 40 living his life as a pilot he'd have felt like he had a full life.
I love triathlons and biking but I really don't want my obit to say I died while riding (unless I'm about 100 years old at the time). At the same time, I realize life is full of risk and to shy away from them diminishes us.
Life is precious.