Kind, positive, and funny: this is how Wyatt Eddy will be remembered. He was the kind of person whose presence could light up a room. Eddy died on September 29, 2021, as a result of a surfing accident. His loss came as a sudden tragedy to his loved ones, both family and friends.

   In honor of Eddy, a group of his friends met on September 30 to sign his surfboard. They now wear green wristbands with the letters LLWE, standing for “Long Live Wyatt Eddy.”

   Two of Eddy’s closest friends, Andrew Ciscel (9) and Nate Newhart (9), knew him since Pre-K. Ciscel, who had “always been close with him,” shared that the three of them used to ride their bikes around the neighborhood together. Newhart recalled, “We had a great time talking about cars, just connecting and always having good laughs, and Wyatt was super positive in that way.” Their group would play Minecraft and hang out at skate parks together. “Just us three together,” Ciscel said, reflecting on his fondest memories.

   It was the small, positive things that drew people to Eddy. His Freshman English teacher Mrs. Cunningham knew him as “nice to his peers; he liked to draw and joke around.” Eddy was much more than just a student, making an impression on teachers and fellow students alike. Mrs. Cunningham expressed her desire for his family to find peace in knowing that he “was kind and people enjoyed being with him.”

   As a Freshman at West―a bright student to teachers and a kind friend to his peers―Eddy touched a wide circle in the West community. Following his passing, West’s school therapists opened the Wellness Center to support students working through grief regarding this loss. The Wellness Center, located in Room 4104, provided techniques for coping and a safe place to talk. School therapist Ms. Loftus described grief as a physical wound, one that stings initially but heals into a scar after stages of tenderness and patience. “Over time,” she said, “we don’t forget the pain, we don’t forget the person that we lost, but the pain subsides.” Yet always, even as the acute pain of loss gradually fades, “we still remember them and cherish their memory.”

   Newhart and Ciscel, along with Eddy’s other close friends, continue to cherish memories of who he was. “His laugh could always make you laugh,” Newhart said, solemn but thoughtful. “I want him to be remembered as super positive, super funny.”

   Years of laughter and care cannot be abbreviated into a few words. But as Eddy’s loved ones cherish their memories with him, his kindness and positive attitude continues to live on.