Mona Shores School Visit – 2022
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon on June 11, 2022 in Washington DC, 147 students and many chaperones from Mona Shores Middle School in Michigan met at Arlington Cemetery. Alex Parr, a teacher at Mona Shores, made most of the coordination for the get together. This was the first time since Covid that Alex and the Mona Shores staff conducted this special visit to our son Eric’s gravesite. Its so encouraging to see more and more students make the visit each year. We will support Mona Shores in this event as long as we are alive as it has become very important to us as well!
Everyone gathered near Eric’s gravesite to meet each other and listen to Eric’s dad (myself) speak about Eric to the students. Like previous years, I shared what I could about Eric growing up and how he became such a selfless young man but also he was more ordinary than most of the students might have thought. I wanted them to know that they didn’t have to be a superstar to make a difference in this world. As was the case the previous years, the afternoon was a very profound and emotional experience.
Most of the time was spent talking about Eric, the type of person he was and kind of impact he was having even though his time with us is over. The letters the Mona Shore students had written to Eric were very touching and heartwarming. Several students read their letters out loud. Later, my fiancé Tabatha and I read each letter the students had written – there were close to 200! She, being a teacher herself, picked out some of the best ones and these are posted below.
Included above is a very small sample of some of the pictures as well.
To the Mona Shores students, chaperones and to Alex parr, on behalf of our son Eric and his family, we want to say thank you for honoring him in this way. You have given us a precious gift by learning about Eric and his life. You are a blessing to us and we are proud to call you our friends. We look forward to seeing the Mona Shores students and chaperones again next year!.
Student Letters to Eric
Mona Shores student Catherine Conrad
Mona Shores student Elizabeth Rawlings
Mona Shores student Ella Stewart
Mona Shores student Emma Mettler
Mona Shores student Grace Chasco
Mona Shores student Lily Knowlton
Mona Shores student Lucas Grigg
Mona Shores student Ryan Opsammer
Mona Shores student Sydney Pomeroy
Mona Shores student Tegan Carmichael
Mona Shores student Tenley Hill
