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IN MEMORY OF MY FRIEND
"Fast Eddie", who was taken suddenly from
our lives, but not our hearts.
EDDIE LEE ROGERS
February 10, 1984 - January 30, 2000
"You will forever be in our hearts. We love
and miss you, Eddie!"...Lisa Wade
The following is a poem written in memory of Eddie, by our
former teacher from Bloomington School, Bill Ack
Score One For Me...
The game goes on for you my friend,
Though our lives may pause, they never end.
God pulled you from His earth for a reason,
It must be the beginning of His basketball season.
He needed a ringer and he chose you,
He will know where to look when He needs two.
The crowds in Heaven will cheer your name,
But life in Bloomington won't be the same.
I know you again I once will see,
But while we are waiting, score one for me!
In Memory Of My Student ~ My Friend ~ Eddie Lee Rogers
Love, Mr. Ack
~~~~~
One of my third graders said the other day "Eddie wasn't like the other big kids. He'd let us play ball with him on the blacktop. And even when we shot and missed, he'd say 'Good try!'"
Never again will I see a boy walking home, with his sweatshirt tied around his waist and basketball under one arm... never again will I eat a chocolate covered cherry... never again will I see a can of Mr. Pibb... that I won't think of Eddie Rogers.
"To my baby brother,
I'll love you forever!
XOXO Brandy
This poem's for you:"
GUARDIAN ANGEL
Kami D. Johnson
Your eyes closed with your last breath and you left my side.
On the wings of death you were carried away to fly up high.
Higher than you ever have been and higher than I could ever envision.
You soared up to the gates of Heaven.
Angels were singing and rejoicing with their arms
open wide to embrace your beautiful soul.
Floating among the puffy white clouds
A golden pure light of God's love
Flowed all around and through you.
With the soft breath of God's love He embraced you.
His child. An angel.
You made your new life in the house of the Lord, without me.
You never left me for I know you watch over me from your perch
In the heavenly, blue sky.
My Guardian Angel.
The following was written by a friend from Westmar High School:
Eddie
He is gone physically, but his memory will last.
His nickname was "Fast Eddie"
No one saw this tragedy coming and no one was ready.
His love was for basketball
He was loved by many and will be missed by all.
The pain is so hard to describe
His life is not completely ended, in our hearts he will always be alive.
I pray for his family to make it through okay
They need strength from God, day to day.
Eddie was a great person with big dreams
However, now I know life is not always what it seems.
His life was short, but his time was well worth.
Eddie made his impact here on earth.
Now although he is in a better place
The memories of Eddie will never be erased.
So from everyone who knew Eddie
As a person or a friend
We want to say to his family,
all our love and prayers we send.
January 30, 2000
~~~~~
This is a letter written by Greg Harvey and published in The Piedmont Harold on Tuesday, February 8.
A COACH'S TRIBUTE
As I spent the past weekend at the funeral home and the church paying my respects and watching other do the same, I can only be touched and encouraged by what I saw. To know that in the time of tragedy, that the youth from all over the area can join together, lean on each other and get through these trying times. It was just beautiful to see.
I had the privilege to coach Eddie Rogers the last four years of Little League basketball. As good as he was, it was never how high he could jump, how good he could dribble or how smooth he could move, that made him such a joy to coach. It was the way he handled himself on the court and with his teammates. It was easy sometimes to sit back and watch and forget there were other kids on the court. But he would never consider himself better than anyone else out there.
As much as everyone seems to be questioning why this had to happen, I can only be thankful for the years I had to share in Eddie's life. I sincerely thank Libby and Eugene for allowing me to be a part of it.
This experience has taught me what I have tried to teach my kids. To experience failing you must first try, to enjoy winning you must experience losing, and for me, to experience this loss through death, do I really appreciate what I have in my life. In conclusion, Eddie will be loved and missed by many. I don't believe it was a coincidence that in his Little League he was the "Magic" because he truly was. You will always be in my heart.
Coach Greg
Another poem, written by friends at Westmar High School:
The day was dark,
The night was cold,
The truth of the morning
Yet to be told...
They worked that day
With hopes gone high,
Not knowing that morning
A young life had died.
God took him away
With a plan in mind,
Leaving no one understanding
No reason to find.
He was so many things
To so many hearts,
Never once did one think
The next moment they'd part.
Everyone will remember
His kindness and smiles,
All the warm, cherished memories
Of growing with him since a child.
He will always be loved,
And he will always be missed.
May his eternity be spent
In happiness and bliss...
Written by: Amanda Buskirk and Shana Barnard
He Lives Forever
When you look around and he's not there
Look again...He's everywhere.
He's the space of every mountain high,
He's the drifting clouds of each new sky.
He's the brightness of the summer sun
He's the calmness of a long day done.
He's the petal of every flower
He's the wave in every sea.
He's the beauty in the leaves
Of every kind of tree.
Ask anyone who knew him
They'll say he didn't part.
He lives forever on
In the deepest of our hearts.
Author Unknown
Presented to Brandy by Sandy Guy, family friend and neighbor
8th Grade Graduation From Bloomington School
June 1999
Written by a friend from Westmar High School:
Eddie was a great and wonderful guy.
But he is gone away and no one knows why.
All of our hearts are filled with tears.
We expected him around for many more years.
We all know where he is, shining in heaven above.
But we all wish he was down here to share all of his love.
We know he is in a better place, it's just hard to break it to our hearts.
It may take a long time, we just don't know where to start.
Some of us knew him very well, others not at all.
But for each and every one of us,the impact was not small.
There is a piece missing out of every life.
But Eddie would want you to move on without a moment's strife.
And in memory of Eddie, we all bow our heads today.
Life will go on eventually, although he has passed away.
We all miss him dearly, and we always will.
But we have our loved ones and our friends still.
Eddie was a basketball star, everyone remembers him as that.
He was called "Fast Eddie" because he was so fast.
Every basketball game you see, keep Eddie on your mind.
And in your heart remember, you'll never find a better guy.
In memory of Eddie Rogers... Written by Haley Zais
I remember the first time I saw Eddie Rogers. It was in the summer during physicals. I had heard a lot about him, about this great ball player that would be coming my way. He put his physical form on the table in front of me. I saw the name and thought "Well okay, Eddie Rogers!" I glanced through his form then looked up at him. I looked up... and down... and thought "You've got to be kidding. This is the famous Eddie Rogers I've been hearing so much about? This kid isn't tall enough to do me any good on the basketball team."
The next time I saw Eddie was the first day of basketball practice...
...I told Eddie he had made the JV team. Instead of getting excited, he just lowered his head and I asked what was wrong. He said he didn't think he was good enough to play for me. I just laughed and said "Oh, you're wrong Eddie! You're good enough! As a matter of fact, you're going to be a starter!"
The last thing I said to Eddie was Saturday night at practice, the night before the accident. I told him there were two things I wanted him to work on over the summer, his left-handed dribbling and building his self confidence. He said to me "Anything you want Coach. Just tell me what you want
me to do and I'll do it."
Westmar High School 1999-2000
JV Basketball Team
FRIENDS
Who brighten our days.
In all kind of wonderful,
Magical ways.
Their thoughtfulness comes
As a gift from above.
And we feel we're surrounded
By warm,caring love.
Like upside-down rainbows,
Their smiles bring the Sun.
And they fill ho-hum moments
With laughter and fun.
Friends are like Angels,
Without any wingss.
Blessing our lives,
With the most precious things.
See You In Heaven "Fast Eddie"
Contributions to the
Eddie Rogers Fund can
be mailed to:
Eddie Rogers Fund
c/o WEPCO Federal Credit Union
204 North Branch Ave
Bloomington MD 21523
Email me at: ewade@mindspring.com
if you have comments, or if you are a friend receiving this
and want to add anything (pics, poems, etc.)
MORE PICS OF EDDIE AND FRIENDS
PAGE 2
FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE STORY
SOME NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS OF THE TRAGEDY
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
PAGE 5 (Memorial Day)
(Not Started Yet)
Lisa Wade
Brandy Holstine (Eddie's sister)
Lois Wade