Jul
02-25-2005, 01:53 AM
I'm very, very saddened to report that that we've lost one of our fellow Scapers. We were contacted earlier this week by the mother of Ben Feld, who went by the username Scarran Raptor (http://www.watchfarscape.com/forums/member.php?u=3107) here at FMD, and informed that Ben was killed in a car accident two weeks before his 27th birthday on August 28th, 2004. At the time of his death, Ben was just a few credits short of graduating with his BA from Florida International University. He has left behind family and friends that share that he was the bravest and one of the kindnest people they knew.
I am posting here the post that his best friend, the leader of the Star Trek group USS Blackstar, posted at the Toon Zone community that he also posted at and the eulogy that was read by his best friend at his funeral on August 31st, 2004. If anybody is interested, please e-mail emanuel.camachoATadelphia.net and give your full name to light an Online Candle for Ben. His family would appreciate it very much.
The news: http://www.mahq.net/archive/aug2004.htm
http://www.beaconnewspaper.com/news/2004/09/16/News/Vice-President.Of.Fiu.Anime.Club.Killed.In.Car.Accident -722984.shtml
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=120452
One of my best friends, Ben Feld, better know to us TZ'ers as Shogunthethird has passed away due to a car accident this past weekend. He was 26.
He was the Vice President of the local anime club, and was driving a group of them as part of a carpool to a Japanese Culture Museum (coincidentally, the Museum had a ceremony for the dead that night, where Ben was remembered by his friends)
On the way to the Museum, Ben's car was cut off by a speeding car merging with the Turnpike. The car struck the front of Ben's Mom's SUV, tossing it into the next lane. He fought to regain control of the car, but it flipped over 3 times. The rolling SUV moved toward the median and barely missed hitting a Light Post and the canal. Unfortunately, the car stopped, upsidedown, by slamming into a tree. Ben was killed on impact. The passenger managed to turn the engine off before he lost consciousness, he had to be airlifted to the hospital with a fractured arm and various other injuries. The 3 passengers in the back were relatively safe (the girl in the middle suffered a Seatbelt scratch and a sprained wrist) and managed to crawl to safety.
All involved in the crash will be changed forever and all require alot of emotional healing and therapy. Their wounds will heal, but nothing will ever be able to erase the memories of being present while one of their friends dies.
The person responsible for the accident has been apprehended by authorities and is being charged with Vehicular Manslaughter.
Ben was good friend to me. I could always "geek-out" with him, talk about the hobbies and interests that others would shun. I could tell him things I couldn't tell my family. He was alwas around to go see a cheesy movie or just to hang out and talk at the pizza buffet. A truer friend than most and he will surely be missed.
thank you.
and the eulogy:
When I got the news that Ben had left us, I was in the middle of discussions about a trip we were about to take to, in part, celebrate his 26th birthday. It was a devastating blow, as you can imagine. Everything stopped. I couldn’t even think straight about it. I’d just seen him a week ago at our STARFLEET meeting. I even have a picture of him from about this time last year when we went to Universal Studios. The picture is of him, me and our friend Anselmo posing with Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. Ever the jokester, he’s posing as if he were a hungry puppy begging for table scraps. I look back at pictures of that trip, and of the many pictures we have of him from our chapter website, and I still can’t believe he’s gone.
I met Ben a day after he joined our group. We were at a gaming convention, and he joined us the day he met us. Even then, I saw that we had a character on our hands. He was funny, quick and smart. And he was fun to be around. But as I got to know him, I also saw that he was a caring, hard-working and loyal person as well. He would have his moments, as we all do. But he knew at most times when to be serious and when to be jovial. He helped us not take ourselves too seriously, as he never took himself.
As a member of our group, he was a dedicated and selfless worker. For those of you who don’t know, the BLACKSTAR is part STAR TREK fan group and part community service organization. Ben participated with us in countless activities, both charitable and social. As part of our group, he participated with us for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation fundraiser walk at MetroZoo, and our projects to benefit the local charity organization HANDS-ON MIAMI.
He also took part in the many conventions and fun trips the group took. The one I will remember most, I think, is the trip we took early last year to the Disney/MGM Studios. There, Ben and I posed for one of those “fun photos” as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi from the STAR WARS films. I think, more than anything, it shows both his dedication to fandom and his not-so-serious attitude toward life.
The Ben I knew—the Ben I KNOW and will always remember—is a great person, a great fan, a great officer…but most importantly, a great friend. I will miss him, as will we all.
Ben, The Word Is Given…Warp Speed, My Friend.
:cry2:
My personal message - God bless you, Ben Feld. May God keep you close to his heart and bless your soul, keeping you in a better place.
I am posting here the post that his best friend, the leader of the Star Trek group USS Blackstar, posted at the Toon Zone community that he also posted at and the eulogy that was read by his best friend at his funeral on August 31st, 2004. If anybody is interested, please e-mail emanuel.camachoATadelphia.net and give your full name to light an Online Candle for Ben. His family would appreciate it very much.
The news: http://www.mahq.net/archive/aug2004.htm
http://www.beaconnewspaper.com/news/2004/09/16/News/Vice-President.Of.Fiu.Anime.Club.Killed.In.Car.Accident -722984.shtml
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=120452
One of my best friends, Ben Feld, better know to us TZ'ers as Shogunthethird has passed away due to a car accident this past weekend. He was 26.
He was the Vice President of the local anime club, and was driving a group of them as part of a carpool to a Japanese Culture Museum (coincidentally, the Museum had a ceremony for the dead that night, where Ben was remembered by his friends)
On the way to the Museum, Ben's car was cut off by a speeding car merging with the Turnpike. The car struck the front of Ben's Mom's SUV, tossing it into the next lane. He fought to regain control of the car, but it flipped over 3 times. The rolling SUV moved toward the median and barely missed hitting a Light Post and the canal. Unfortunately, the car stopped, upsidedown, by slamming into a tree. Ben was killed on impact. The passenger managed to turn the engine off before he lost consciousness, he had to be airlifted to the hospital with a fractured arm and various other injuries. The 3 passengers in the back were relatively safe (the girl in the middle suffered a Seatbelt scratch and a sprained wrist) and managed to crawl to safety.
All involved in the crash will be changed forever and all require alot of emotional healing and therapy. Their wounds will heal, but nothing will ever be able to erase the memories of being present while one of their friends dies.
The person responsible for the accident has been apprehended by authorities and is being charged with Vehicular Manslaughter.
Ben was good friend to me. I could always "geek-out" with him, talk about the hobbies and interests that others would shun. I could tell him things I couldn't tell my family. He was alwas around to go see a cheesy movie or just to hang out and talk at the pizza buffet. A truer friend than most and he will surely be missed.
thank you.
and the eulogy:
When I got the news that Ben had left us, I was in the middle of discussions about a trip we were about to take to, in part, celebrate his 26th birthday. It was a devastating blow, as you can imagine. Everything stopped. I couldn’t even think straight about it. I’d just seen him a week ago at our STARFLEET meeting. I even have a picture of him from about this time last year when we went to Universal Studios. The picture is of him, me and our friend Anselmo posing with Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. Ever the jokester, he’s posing as if he were a hungry puppy begging for table scraps. I look back at pictures of that trip, and of the many pictures we have of him from our chapter website, and I still can’t believe he’s gone.
I met Ben a day after he joined our group. We were at a gaming convention, and he joined us the day he met us. Even then, I saw that we had a character on our hands. He was funny, quick and smart. And he was fun to be around. But as I got to know him, I also saw that he was a caring, hard-working and loyal person as well. He would have his moments, as we all do. But he knew at most times when to be serious and when to be jovial. He helped us not take ourselves too seriously, as he never took himself.
As a member of our group, he was a dedicated and selfless worker. For those of you who don’t know, the BLACKSTAR is part STAR TREK fan group and part community service organization. Ben participated with us in countless activities, both charitable and social. As part of our group, he participated with us for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation fundraiser walk at MetroZoo, and our projects to benefit the local charity organization HANDS-ON MIAMI.
He also took part in the many conventions and fun trips the group took. The one I will remember most, I think, is the trip we took early last year to the Disney/MGM Studios. There, Ben and I posed for one of those “fun photos” as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi from the STAR WARS films. I think, more than anything, it shows both his dedication to fandom and his not-so-serious attitude toward life.
The Ben I knew—the Ben I KNOW and will always remember—is a great person, a great fan, a great officer…but most importantly, a great friend. I will miss him, as will we all.
Ben, The Word Is Given…Warp Speed, My Friend.
:cry2:
My personal message - God bless you, Ben Feld. May God keep you close to his heart and bless your soul, keeping you in a better place.