| sheba84 (5:54:33 PM): I hate it when people deny my intelligence. No one would dare. In fact, people have enthusiastically, and more importantly- honestly, praised her for it. Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 7:18:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: Frances Haugen <[email protected]> Dear LD Community, It saddens me to announce that Tina Wang (Jr. Iowa City West) died this afternoon, Saturday May 26. While driving in heavy rain and wind to a debate fundraiser, Tina swerved off the highway, crossed the median and was hit by a semi truck. Her death was immediate, and she did not suffer. Tina has been one of my closest friends ever since I first met her in 7th grade. She has always been an enthusiastic debater for Iowa City West, and became the LD captain this year. Tina was looking forward to Nats in Oklahoma just a few weeks from now, and another exciting year of debate next year. Tina was a great person, and will be dearly missed by her entire team and community. - Frances Haugen Iowa City West Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 12:39:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time From: "James" <[email protected]> Hi, Second, I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to everyone affected by the sudden death of Tina Wang. I debated her once this year at Emory, and in the short time in which I got to know her, I (as I'm sure everyone else who knew her did also) found her to be not only an immensely skilled debater, but also a convivial, good-natured person. A loss like this one is truly something to be lamented. James Houston The Berkeley Carroll School '01 University of Pennsylvania '05 Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 4:09:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time From: "Alex Weaver" <[email protected]> I am in total shock and sadness. Tina's loss is a great one, and should be felt by the whole community. Tina was a great person to me, a real shining light in the LD community. She was a great competitor, one of the best in the region. However, I think her real value lay in her genuine caring for others and in the fact that she was an honest person who was very easy to get along with, one of the most likeable people I've ever met in the activity. I remember the first time I met Tina, at the Ankeny LD Tournament a few years ago. She was just a sophomore, but I remember thinking that she was so talented, so smart... and she was. She debated me in quarterfinals at Debate Cubed and beat me on a 2-1... one of the rounds I remember most in my entire debate career. Then, last year at districts, I debated her in the third round. It was a wonderful round, too. Each of the rounds I've had against Tina were memorable, and I treasure each one of them. I saw Tina as a competitor last year, but this year, I saw her as so much more. I saw her as a very intelligent, funny, and genuine person who happened to be involved in an activity that I loved. Those types of people are rare, and I treasured her friendship greatly. There are a lot of other things I could say and want to say, but I honestly can't come up with the words. Tina was one of the best people I've ever met. I, along with the entire debate community, will feel her loss for many, many years to come. Alex Weaver Assistant LD/Extemp Coach WDM Valley High School Subj: Remembering Tina Wang Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 10:37:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: "M. A. Luong" <[email protected]> Dear Colleagues, I am shocked and saddened by the untimely passing of our friend and colleague from Iowa City West HS, Tina Wang. Liz Rogers and I had the privilege of working with Tina in our lab at NDF last summer and all the NDF faculty members were looking forward to having Tina back in our repeater program this year. Tina exemplified what we all should strive for as strong advocates and good citizens: the ability to disagree without being disagreeable, winning and losing with equal grace, pursuing intellectual curiosity with the noblest of intentions, speaking from well-grounded beliefs, and most of all, leading from example everyday in a way that made our community richer and stronger. On a personal note, I will miss Tina and hearing about her growth and successes. We will all miss her good company, cheer, and competitive spirit. Contemplatively, Minh A. Luong --------------------------------------------------------------- Minh A. Luong Academic Director National Debate Forum <http://www.minh.luong.com/NDFinfo.htm> and Forrest Mars Sr. Professor of Ethics, Politics, and Economics Yale University Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 11:47:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: "Michelin C. Massey" <[email protected]> dear list, tina wang was one of the most interesting people i've ever had the opportunity to meet. if you didn't get the chance to meet her, then you missed an opportunity to get to know a young lady whose wit was sharp and sarcastic, a young woman who was really great in conversation. she was really great. please forgive me if this message isn't the most eloquent or the most profound thing i've ever written. but, i am still at a loss for words about the death of TW. so, let us all say a goodbye to someone who left us far too early. let us appreciate the memories we have of her and the ones we create with those around us. thanks for reading. thanks to TW for being awesome Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 3:17:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time From: "Shane Mecham" <[email protected]> Dear Colleagues, I too worked with Tina Wang at NDF. I merely want to echo the sentiments of my peers. Even though Tina was not in my lab I learned her name and face very early-on in the institute. Her presence was known and her influence felt in every group meeting and lecture. I especially remember how she tactfully corrected my pronunciations during my lecture on Eastern ethics. Tina endeared herself to faculty and students alike. Every community that she participated in will never be the same without her. With Fond Memories, Shane Mecham Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 11:40:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: "Eric Gehrie" <[email protected]> Dear debaters, coaches and recent graduates: Like all of you, I am deeply saddened by the death of such a young, bright, promising young woman who devoted so much to this activity, and whose contributions will be sorely missed. It is horrifying how quickly even the brightest lights con be extinguished; so permanently, so tragically, so unjustly. She was so young. I knew Tina for about eighteen months. She was so invested in what she did, so interested in making the most of herself, in making friends, in learning. She was a wonderful student, and a talented competitor. She had so much potential - so excited about debate, but debate was only a part of her life. Tina was funny, at times outrageous, but always caring. This is truly tragic. My heart goes out to Tina's parents, relatives, close friends and acquaintances. I am sure that Tina will be remembered for what she was: a sweet, kind, promising young woman who was well liked, and loved. Sincerely, Eric A. Gehrie Not Good-bye (by Casey Pick, for Tina) In trying to write this, I know what you'd say "Don't waste time on an epitaph Or eulogy or elegy- there's life to be lived Guys to watch, books to read"- then you'd laugh. It's that laugh I'll remember, and the inside jokes About teachers, Westside Story, "the whale" Your e-mails- I've kept them, and secrets too- The friendship's still there, never fail. I'll miss you, don't doubt it, 'cause while I may not have said I always knew you were one of a kind Unique, brilliant- yes I admit it *grins sadly* And no, I'm not out of my mind. Remember the debates that we used to have About death, the soul, and rebirth? Now you've got the answers, and strangely, are silent But somehow, I sense your mirth At the drama, the newsprint, that detested photo That the paper, of course, had to use At the poems memorial, all of them based On a fate that's beyond us to choose. In reading this, you'd probably say to me "If you're going to write it, REVISE!" Yeah, I'll never learn, but then, you know that I swear, I'll miss those exasperated sighs. You always were a better writer than I Words more your strength than mine, truth to tell Time for this sad poet to finally get to the point And say, I'll remember you well. |