• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

EA235 Yes, he's gone

It was definitely an amazing turnout, and a real testament to the number of people he'd touched during his life.

The word at the end of the ceremonies on Saturday was that Eric's final written message to his friends/fellow riders-racers was going to be posted up on Eric's Blog site, in lieu of reading it to the group at that time.

Been checking in on the site since that time, and it seems to not have been updated yet. Any word on when that will be happening Eddy?

Thanks.

Gary,

Thanks again to you & all of the wonderful people from our motorcycling community that showed up to share the celebration of Eric's life on Saturday.

I know that you can appreciate that Eddy, Shahin (sp?) and a few others literally put their lives on hold (personally & professionally) last Tuesday morning to take care of the situation, make all of the arrangements and take care of others that had to come from out of the area. I'm sure that once they get a chance to come up for air they'll share Eric's message. :thumbup

I know that the experiences that I shared on Saturday will stay with my friends & "family" forever.

We love you Eric!
 
The turnout Saturday was great indeed. The various displays that provided insight into Eric's varied interests were very well done, kudos to the folks who set those up.
 
My apologies – I’m late. Been trying to compose myself. Appears now it’s not going to happen. Almost puked on my computer when I first saw this news. Still feel sick. Broken hearted.

Eric/Loki – it’s one of the hardest things I’ve done to tell you how much it meant, how much it means to me to tell you how much I appreciate that you took me seriously. I’m so much nothing in the moto world – but you saw it different. You said come out, I’ll help you. I thought there was time for that later. How could we know? But I do know sometime, somehow, you’ll find a way to be there. I promise to listen. Promise.

My deepest and most sincere condolences to your loved ones. Your family and great many friends. And to the riding community. All will miss your presence dearly. And to the racing community – with whom you shared so much passion.

Rest in peace Eric. To make such an impact - it's a rare thing. You’ll remain bold and brave in my heart and in my thoughts. Like few others. Adieu. For now.

:rose:rose:rose

:cry
 
Hey Gary,
I really enjoyed the words you said for Eric. I feel that Eric has left a little ball of light that I definatly got a piece of and it will stay with me for ever! Hope to see you soon! :thumbup

+1

The sea of purple was overwhelming. It felt like everybody was on the same page for once in life...
 
I regret not being able to attend and it will haunt me for a long time and I apologize to you Eric where ever you may be. We ended up getting a main water line break in our yard that morning, it was if the ground was crying for him, which took my aqttention for most of the day. If anyone taped the proceedings I would very much appreciate being able to watch it and see what I unfortunatly missed.

Eric and I weren't very close but everytime we saw eachother we always shared a word and one of those patented Eric smiles that brings light to your day. I can remember his comeback and racing against him finally since I started after his mild injuries years ago and I felt lucky to be out there with him since he was one of the ones that got me to want to be out there.

I miss you Eric everyday and think of you all the time as I attempt to hold back the tears each time I do!!
 
Simply throwing out another reminder of Eric Arnold on this fine first Friday of November.

Feeling blessed to be alive and still in "one piece". RIP Eric and to everyone else, I wish you safe riding/racing.
 
Memories, Not Regrets

Eric's final words for us :(

www.ericstatus.blogspot.com


Memories, Not Regrets



I've made my choice. I learned many years ago that if you don’t like what you have you change it. I’ve struggled with that over these last few weeks because I do not like what I have but can only modify it, cannot truly change it. So I will make the choice to make a real change.

The choices we make in our lives define us. How we react to the vicissitudes of life, the ups and downs, how we choose to deal with them or if we choose to do nothing and passively accept them defines us and demonstrates the content of our character. I’ve always felt that inaction in the face of an unacceptable situation is in itself unacceptable. Well this is an unacceptable situation to me, and so I will take that action that I see best fits my core values and beliefs, within the limited set of options this situation allows. I firmly believe in the unity of mind, body and spirit, the need for all 3 to be equally strong. That is not the case, while my mind is still intact and strong my body is permanently broken and my spirit unable to recover, clinging to my broken body like a faithful dog to his dead master, unable to move on.

While I have learned a great deal in the last 6 months about being open and receptive to help, and have been overwhelmed at the level of help offered, I cannot accept this as a permanent situation, and the constraints of this situation dictate that I will be far more dependent on others for the rest of my life. As well my inability to do those things I hold most dear is also an unacceptable situation.

I’ve been very lucky to have lived several lives within my life. Transformation and re-invention have been constant themes in my life, even when I didn’t want them to be, and many of my role models have lived their lives in a similar fashion. One of the frustrations with this situation is my inability to complete the transformation from my former independent, able-bodied self to a much more dependent disabled self. But I’m 47 years old, have been very lucky to have experienced things beyond my imagining, met and been friends with some very extraordinary people, loved and been loved, and all in all, it’s been a good life. I have many memories but no regrets.

Many of the issues I’ve already put forth in the last blog entry, on top of those the new issue of a pressure sore pushed me over the top. I cannot imagine living a working life when at any time you may be derailed for weeks by a pressure sore, bladder infection or something else that we were told are a fact of life for the wheel chair bound. This is no way to live a life. I do not know or understand how others choose to continue this way, but for me the choice is clear. In many ways life means so much to me that I will not settle for anything less. I will not accept so constrained a life as a substitute for what I had before.

I am truly sorry for the grief this situation has caused to my friends and family over the last few months, and the grief this last act will cause, but over time that will fade, hearts will heal, and I will hopefully be a fond memory to my friends and family, but no longer a burden in any way, to your or myself.

I am truly grateful for the effort that everyone has put forth on my behalf; know that there is nothing more anyone could have done. There is nothing anyone could have done to keep me from this path; those of you who know me best know that once I make up my mind to do something that’s it.

It has been said that “what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal”. Hopefully through my actions I will live on in your memories and hearts.

So I will make my last choice, not out of desperation or in response to a temporary situation, or in a belief that life is not worth living, but because I will not accept so constrained a life as a substitute for what I had before. This is not a decision I am taking lightly, not knowing what lays beyond is disconcerting and worrisome, but not so much as the very real fear of living out my days in this condition, in this pain. I died on April 26, 2009, and now I will finish what has taken too long to come to a conclusion.




Eric Arnold




“…for life’s not a paragraph

and death i think is no parenthesis”

e. e. cummings
.
.
.
.
 
Wow. :|

I always thought I could handle it if it happened to me. My cut point is if I was bed ridden, then I'd cut out. After reading this, now I'm not so sure.

Godspeed Eric.


:rose


:loco Mark :loco
 
Wow. Articulate and very telling last words from a good soul. Sounds as if Eric truly made his peace with himself, which in the end is the most that any of us can hope for.

A tragedy indeed; all we can do now is try to accept it and not question it. My thoughts and prayers are with all Eric's family, friends and racing brethren.

Godspeed, bro.
 
I'm glad he could so articulately help us understand. :cry

Peace, Eric. May you have it at last.
 
:rose


Thanks for posting Eddy.
 
www.ericstatus.blogspot.com

It has been said that “what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal”. Hopefully through my actions I will live on in your memories and hearts.

Eric Arnold

Eric, your love and caring for those around you when your own life was irrevocably changed, your unfaltering honesty in your writing and willingness to help us understand what you've gone through the past several months, and more, stand testament to what an amazing person you are. Thank you.

You are missed and will always be remembered. :rose

Kim
167W
 
Very painful to read that. Helps explain his reasoning though. Eric was a good egg.
 
I remember Eric from a lot of Keigwins days I did back in 04' 05' 06'....he probably worked with me one on one at some point taking me from a novice up to an AFM racer...sad to hear this...

I admire his courage! :(
 
I never met Eric. I just know him from the posts and fundraisers on BARF. So sorry for him and his family. Shiny side up sir. :rose
 
Back
Top