Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Jay Wood
Trad climber
Land of God-less fools
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2016 - 09:59am PT
|
Still having difficulty believing that this is real.
I knew Julia as bright light at Class 5, and have continued to
see her occasionally during her college years and more recently
back in the Bay Area. She's about the same age as my daughter.
My prayers for her peaceful passage, and for all those
who are grieving.
Jay
Class 5 last day 2008
|
|
Urizen
Ice climber
Berkeley, CA
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2016 - 10:14am PT
|
By definition, if not everyone agrees, then there is no consensus.
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2016 - 10:52am PT
|
Condolences to friends and family on this terrible news.
John
|
|
Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 13, 2016 - 01:21pm PT
|
Fine, a majority then.
|
|
Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 13, 2016 - 02:07pm PT
|
|
|
cindyt
Trad climber
oakland
|
|
|
Sep 17, 2016 - 11:30pm PT
|
I am so sad. This world is missing a wonderful human being. I first met Julia when she was a child and a talented climber at class five. As an adult she reintroduced herself to me, she had grown into such a lovely person. Though I wasn't a close friend, I enjoyed talking with her and we had casually talked about doing some trad climbing together. I assumed we had all the time in the world to plan an adventure together.
I can't image what her family is going through. My heart goes out to them. She will be sorely missed.
Cindy
|
|
Ryan Dilts
Trad climber
boulder
|
|
|
Sep 18, 2016 - 02:37pm PT
|
It's been 10 days since this accident - though I only just found out about it 4 days ago. My grief has been so crippling since hearing what happened to Julia. I can only imagine how hard this is for Julia's family. Big love to Jean, Rob, Ross, Sean, and Lauren.
I haven't seen Julia since 2009. Before that, we dated for over a year. Our lives have gone in opposite directions since then, and to be honest, I have very few solid links to her world anymore. And though it was years ago, what I'm now finding out is that the heart doesn't ever forget it's deepest connections. Someone posted here that grief is the price for having loved, and that's ringing really true for me right now. Julia was the second person I ever loved.
Thank you to all those who have posted memories, or words of wisdom in these pages, as they've been some of the few things available to me for making sense of any of this. I'm not usually active on these forums, but I'd also like to share a few of my own memories here.
Mostly what I remember is her smile and laughter. She had such a warm and radiant heart, such a free and easy kindness towards everyone she met. When I first saw her she was setting a route at Class 5 and hanging off the wall, happily placing holds. I remember her looking down at me and our eyes catching, and a huge smile cracking on her face (my face did likewise), and I was pretty well hooked from there on out. Later, after we had started dating, she took me on my first big climbing trip - a month in Squamish the summer of '08. Though I had considerably less experience then her at the time, she was always patient, kind, and humble with me as I progressed through my formative days. She taught me a lot about the discipline, and even more about the lifestyle. How to bring the psych, stay positive, and welcome others into your experience. She once told me that a lot of her climbing friends only dated guys who climbed really hard, but that she thought that was all bullsh#t. I was in luck.
I also remember her family. The Mackenzie household was like a base camp at the time. Lot's of friends and neighbors in and out, always welcome for tea, a meal, or a couch to crash on. I remember thinking it was so cool that Jean and Rob and their kids were so welcoming with their space, and I learned a lot about hospitality and kindness from Julia's whole family. It was no surprise that when I was without a place to stay, she made me welcome with her and her family for months on end. That was just they way they were, Julia had said. It was no biggie.
And then there was the time Julia came out to VT to surprise me when I was home visiting my family. My mom recently reminded me that on the way back from a day in Maine (where Julia insisted on going to see a lighthouse) mom had to remind her to keep the speed under ninety. Jules could tear it up in a car or a motorcycle... And though years ago, they all remember her vividly. Sweet, kind, and happy are all words that keep popping up. A dear family friend had been visiting at the time and whispered to me during dinner, "You've dated some real fire in the past, Julia is water." And she was. Calming, peaceful, joyous, and serene...
As I reflect back on all the time we spent together, I'm just so sad for the friend I lost. I was sad before her death, but I just never made more of an effort to reconnect. There'd always be more time, I'd thought, or I'd run into her in the Valley or the Creek one day... But I'm finding out now that life doesn't always give us endless opportunities. Sometimes, they're taken away.
It's really crazy what we all carry around in our hearts, unbeknownst to us so much of the time - and it's heartbreaking that sometimes it takes something like this to find out. Not sure what will come out of all of this grief and pain, but all I can try to do is pay tribute to who she was by being a better version of who I am. Thankfully, in looking to Julia's life, I keep finding the answers: to live better, more kindly, and more adventurously.
Anyways. Jules, there are so many things I wished I would have said to you when you were alive, and these words have been but a few. I hope your journey is bringing you peace, insight, and splitter days. I miss you dearly, but I will remember you well.
Big Love,
Ryan
|
|
cornel
climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
|
|
|
Sep 19, 2016 - 08:46am PT
|
Condolences to Julia's family and friends... She did go out doing what she loved.. Can we possibly ask for more?
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!