I have great memories of Tom Heaphy from elementary school because he sat behind me in 5th or 6th grade. He had a playful, almost detached view of the world and a great sense of humor. He was always teasing me - and probably others - and I really enjoyed knowing him. I was so sad when he died in a wilderness accident during high school.

Tommy Heaphy was such a gentle soul, how sad it was to lose him at such a tender age. That was the first death of a friend in my life and I remember the funeral which hit me hard.

I knew Tom only casually, but knew him to be a really nice fella. My strongest memory is in our mutually detested gym period, where Lou Hull made each of us do a rope climb all the way to the top. Tom was my gym partner and we were determined to do it. Tom made it first, of course, then held the rope and shouted encouragement as I tried. It took more than one gym period to do it, but when success finally came, Tom whacked me on the back in celebratory glee. Then just a week later he was gone.