Rest in Peace Woodsie

My words today come from a very sad and somber place. My dear friend and college roommate, Woodsie, died of a sudden heart attack last week, and I am still trying to come to grips with the fact that he is gone. He was such a vibrant personality; it’s hard for me to imagine the world without him in it. My writing today will not be able to scratch the surface of what this guy meant to me and countless others, but I feel compelled to share a short story about the biggest little guy I have ever known.

You see, Woodsie (Steven Woods) stood about 5 feet and 5 inches tall on a good day, but the height, breath, and scope of his impact on people was greater than you could ever imagine. We all have that one person in our circle who is “the guy” or “the girl”. Well, for our group (and for me in particular) it was always Steve. Whenever Woodsie was in the room, you could feel his presence, and so could everyone else. He had the absolute quickest wit and sharpest sense of humor of anyone I have ever known; and he was adored by ALL. People came from everywhere to celebrate his life last week, and I know he was smiling down on all of us, probably telling a few jokes to his new pals up north.

I first met Woods while playing soccer my freshman year in college. We were both defenders on the Dowling College soccer team, he was an outside back and I was a stopper. After a few weeks of getting to know each other, Woodsie moved into our dorm room and our lives changed forever. This little dude was an awesome soccer player and a stone cold defender; built like a bag of brinks. He was small in height, but solid as a rock, and no one would think to mess with him. Not only was he perfectly capable of defending himself, he was well protected by everyone, and had a following of loyal soldiers at his beckon call, me included. He was also a little on the crazy side (in an awesome and funny way), and would do things other’s wouldn’t dream of. For example, one night in college, he actually rode a bicycle around the ledge of the roof at the dorm. Seems so unbelievably ridiculous now, but back then it was the absolute funniest thing I had ever seen. My college experience was enhanced by his presence, and I know I am not alone. He was the absolute funniest person I have ever known, and would make me laugh until I cried. Just a few weeks ago while I was in NY we shared one of the best days we have had together in quite a few years. You see, Woodsie, Eddie, Tex, and I(our long time golf foursome)had an opportunity to play golf, go to dinner, and then finish the evening off listening to music and having a few drinks. It was an awesome day, and as he always did, Woodsie gave us many more precious memories that will live on forever. I feel so blessed that I got to see him that last time, and I will cherish that day as long as I live.

This guy took so many risks when he was younger, I would never imagine in a million years that this was the way he would go. The countless Woodsie tales put smiles on our faces as we celebrated his life, but the flow of tears overpowered the flow of tales as the reality of this tragedy started sinking in. This was a very difficult few days for me, but I was glad that I had the opportunity to be there to help console his family members and be there with many of my great friends from years ago. We had such a close group of guys back in the college days, and they were all there to honor the Woodman (Yes, he had many nicknames). As is typical of my experiences and my writing, I do my very best to find some inner message and silver lining in the face of adversity. One of those “silver linings” is that I got the chance to rekindle some of these great relationships, something Steven would want us to do. Move on with our lives, stay close to our family and friends, and enjoy life. I also got the chance to meet some of his family members I had never met, and even some of Woodsie’s new friends that came to pay their respects. It was amazing to me that he seemed to have the identical impact on everyone in his life. He made them laugh, was a loyal companion, and was always there if they needed anything. You wouldn’t recognize this if you didn’t know him, but he had such a tremendous sense of responsibility and respect for people. Those are the things I will remember about him.

This was Woodside’s favorite time of year. He loved all sports, but especially college football. A day of golf, college football, dinner and drinks, and he was in heaven. The place where he is now, watching over all of us. As I sit here and write this today, I feel comforted that he is in a better place. I will miss my good friend, and he will live inside me forever. As a final tribute to this great guy and one of the best friends I ever had, I wrote him the following poem:

Woodsie - College Football in Heaven

I will never forget the day we first met;
I was a young naïve freshman and you were soaking wet
From a head first dive into a puddle of mud;
I knew right then and there, the Woodman and I would be big buds
Pals through and through, it all started that day on the soccer field;
Your magnetic presence, your humorous dialog, I had no choice but to yield
To the power you held over all of us, then and especially now;
As we celebrate your life while searching deep for the strength that will allow
Us to remember the good times, for me they will endure;
Through my memories of you my dear friend, so tender and pure
A legacy that will live on forever, certainly for me;
A man privileged to have known you so well; it’s clear why I see
So many people here honoring your life, your family and friends;
All of us still deep in shock, hurting badly, but soon we will mend
And just contemplate the countless good times; I could go on for days;
Talking about your wit, your charm, and the gut busting laughter that never failed to amaze
Everyone who encountered you from the moment I entered your realm;
Our golf games will never be the same without you at the helm
Of all the wonderful times we had together, I felt honored to be by your side;
And now my heart is aching, my tears are flowing, and it’s clear I can’t hide
My emotions as I share your memories with all of your heartbroken brethren;
Rest well, my dear friend, there’s college football in heaven