Of the Elms and EFY

I first met Craig while living at the Elms in Provo. A lot of us were friends then. I didn't take the time to get to know him super well at the time, but I do remember seeing him and always thinking, "Man, there goes an example of what I want to be more like." Few and far between were the times when I would see Craig without a smile on his face.

I later got to know him a little better when I was working as a counselor for the EFY program. I wasn't surprised to see him there too, leading and guiding both the youth and other counselors. Again, he was always smiling, no matter what. And he was always willing to help others if they needed it. Next I saw him at a BYU baseball game. Between then and the last time I had seen him, he had lost his hand in an accident. As I briefly talked with him, I quickly realized that his positive attitude was as strong and bright as ever.

As I am now coming to a crossroads of change and improvement in my own life, this tragedy is causing me to reflect on what I observed of Craig. Though I didn't take the opportunity to get to know him closely like many others, even still I realize that he truly was a great example of what I should be more like. He truly was a great man.

--Chad