Erik - Christmas 1975
 
Adam Smith, another long-time friend of Erik's since childhood, spoke next:

When Mrs. Halvorsen asked me to say a few words about Erik I was not sure of what I could say. I started thinking of when we met in fourth grade and then all of the times that we have shared together. Whether it was playing sport like hockey, tennis, soccer, swimming or a game like risk that the gang would get together and play we would always have a good time. I knew no one else like Erik. His head was so full of thoughts and ideas that you never knew what he was going to say next. So after searching my thoughts I came up with several moments of our friendship that I will never forget.

1 The first thing, and I do not know why, that I thought of was his intelligence. Even though I am sure he was sick of people telling him this he was one of the most intelligent person I knew. He was the kid with all of the answers and in all of the smart classes. Over the 16 years I knew Erik we played chess several times. And I can only think of achieving victory one time against him and it occurred very early in the morning on New Years Eve of 1995 down Avalon. Erik and I were the only survivor's, so to speak, so instead of going to bed we played a game of chess. We talked and played chess until very early in the morning while everyone else was sleeping.

2 One of our favorite games to play was risk. Many times Brian, Amy, Lee Anne, Clayton my Dad and I would square off in a heated contest. The game was so great because we could sit around and try to sway each other to his or her side only to turn on them later in the game. I can think of some nights, without mentioning any names, some players were reduced to tears. But sure enough no matter who won or lost or who turned on who we would always be back again the next week playing the same game. One year it must have snowed three feet in East Norriton. Erik, my cousin Danny, my brother Clayton and I were sitting in my house during the brunt of the storm playing risk. One of us had this great idea, Erik, that if we took a long rope, tied it to the bumper of one of our old cars and towed around someone through the neighborhood with skis on that it would be the most fun we ever had. As much as I do agree with this it was probably one of the most dangerous things that we ever did. First I went, being very timid and scared I was very cautious, then Clayton went and he was about as timid and scared as I was. Then it was Erik's turn. Clayton was driving and we were talking in the front seat and I looked back at Erik behind my car through the blizzard and saw him going from one side of the street to the other jumping over curbs, mailboxes and trash cans like he did this sort of thing every night. As I rolled the window down he was telling us to go faster. The memory of this night will always be with me. It showed that he was not afraid to do or say anything. One thing that Erik was not afraid of was speaking his mind. Whether it was politics, human rights, sports or any other subject.

3 Another memory I have was during middle school when Erik asked me to go to the shore over night with about eight other kids. We loaded up the Halvorsen family wagon and took off to Avalon. I think the reason that we went down was it was Erik's birthday. It turned out to be one of the best times in my life. All of us ran around Avalon all day in the sun then watched the Flyers Stanley Cup game at night. Most of us were too sunburnt to return to school the following day, but looking back at that time Erik was just a kid that people liked. I was glad to have been his friend throughout the years and to have had him in my wedding.

I can go through many more fond memories of our friendship. Countless parties were attended by us, many nights out on the town, many nights at Capones, intellectual discussions and lots of good advice but I won't because I would like to keep some of these memories to myself The last thing I would like to share is a belief It is a belief that Erik is in a better place now resting peacefully. A belief that he is in heaven as happy as can be. In know I will miss him and think about him often especially of all the good times we have had together.