Artistic, gregarious, charismatic, adventurous, generous, soulful. Hakuna Matata was his life motto.
The epitome of love and light, Caleb was the middle child of a close-knit family, between his older sister, Sarah, and younger sister, Lindsey. They were close as siblings, and also genuine best friends. Caleb was known for his warm, genuine hugs and his wisdom. His laugh and beautiful, crooked smile were infectious. “He always told you what you needed to hear,” his family stated. He was very honest with people, in a way that came from his love for them. Caleb’s presence was strong, his absence is even stronger.
Starting in childhood, he stood up for people who were being bullied, even if that meant he got in trouble. Caleb’s mom said, “He had a heart of gold for people, always there, even for a stranger. He was protective of his mom and sisters, referring to them as his three ladies. He was an absolutely beautiful person inside and out.”
An avid concert-goer, music was everything to Caleb. He loved singing, skateboarding, spinning fire poi, hammocking, drawing, journaling and fishing. He was fond of his cat, Coconut, also known as Coco. Caleb was a foodie, loved cooking and eating, and used his skills to feed the unhoused. Caleb excelled at anything he was interested in. He was self-taught on piano and guitar and played the drums with little instruction.
Caleb was a nature lover and dendrophile; passionate about trees. An arborist, “his heart was in the trees,” his mother stated. He also loved animals, especially turtles. Caleb’s passions extended to mental health issues. He had a listening ear for people and went above and beyond to help them through hard times.
Caleb made a move to Washington, 30 hours away, in order to further his career in tree work. He was studying to take the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) exam. After that, he had plans to relocate to Colorado to get away from the environment where he used drugs. He also had a heart for travel and wanted to see as much of the world as possible.
Caleb provided a shoulder to lean on for many people. He would sit with people to make sure they ate, or to keep them company when they felt alone. He once stumbled across a young woman sleeping outside in the cold. Caleb took the time to get his mom and together they reached out to the young woman’s dad, and met with him to ensure his daughter got home safely.
After his move, Caleb traveled to Oklahoma to attend his nephew’s birthday, as a surprise to his family. Caleb often hid his addiction. During his active drug use, Caleb, who stayed in touch often, distanced himself for days or weeks at a time. He didn’t want to burden his family or have them see him when he was using drugs.
It was difficult for the family. Caleb’s disease dimmed the light they knew Caleb had. They felt helpless and guilty. The family shared, “It has given us a new understanding of the disease and how it affects both the person and their family. We always knew addiction was a disease, but understand it differently now. There is more to it than just struggling to stop.”
Caleb’s mother, Jennifer Rolls, father, David Rolls, and sisters, Sarah and Lindsey, provided the information for this narrative.
February 18, 1993-September 18, 2022-Age 29
Portrait Artist: Jeremy Hebbel
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois
