Most of the EMAL nation won't recognize Eric's name as he would have played his senior season of football at PLU in 2006. However, Eric's story is one that should be shared and reflected upon each year by EMALs from all generations. In his own words, "life is fragile and can be taken away from anyone at a moment's notice." Tragically, Eric's life closely mirrored these words and Eric was taken from us in a drowning accident on Lake Stevens July 4th 2009. (http://news.plu.edu/node/996)
Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Eric, the words he left behind made a lasting impact on me. The most meaningful was a short statement Eric wrote titled, "Philosophy of Life". I plan to share this statement with my daughters repeatedly as they grow and mature. I've uploaded this document to scribd.com and embedded it in this posting. Be sure to read his exhortations on the second page...they are powerful. (Hint: You can view the document in full screen by clicking in the upper right hand corner of the viewer.)
Philosophy of Life - By Eric Fergen
May we all have the courage to life as Eric did. I'm so grateful there are an army of EMALs out in the world who are leaving their mark.
Shine On EMALs!
EMAL #54
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This brings back a lot of emotions and memories. Anyone who knew Eric remembers that he was always smiling. I had the pleasure of learning to play Center as Eric's backup. Losing Eric was extremely hard for the team and the PLU community, but what a legacy he left for us all. This document is but one example of that legacy. I am reminded that we should not take life or relationships for granted. Seize the day and be a man of action.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this Chris.
Eric was one of my nearest and dearest friends as a player and a person at PLU. There hasn't been a day that has gone by since his passing that I haven't thought about him in some capacity, whether it be a golden Dodge Durango driving by (his beloved SUV), or the glance to my wrist where many of us who knew him still wear the bracelet honoring his life. I encourage anyone who reads the message he left to share it with their friends, family, and anyone who needs uplifting. The most valuable lesson Ferg left me was to always value your relationships in an eternal sense, because there is no guarantee you will have the chance to express to them how much they truly mean to you if you wait until tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post and thank you Eric.
EMAL #20 Brent Frank
Eric was and still fully is my cousin. Not a day goes by when I don't think of him, his impact on my life, and his impact on the world. There is not a single word that can desicribe all he did with his life; he is truly an inspiration. Even though I only knew him for 10 short years, I can say those 10 years had the most powerful impact on my life. He truly taught me that I cannot take life for granted and I must really focus on the present. Even though my juvenile mind did not grasp all of the lessons he taught me at the time, reflecting upon them now I can tell that I learned so much. I use everything he taught me on a day-to-day basis. I am who I am because of him and I would not want anything more.
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