Empathic, intuitive, an old soul, compassionate, intelligent
Eric was an empathic soul; caring and sensitive. Although introspective and shy as a child, he was a great conversationalist when drawn out from his inner turmoil. He had a discerning character, choosing friends who were kind to others and who shared his philosophy on life. He was loyal to those friends and protective of his mom. His interests varied from astronomy and history to collecting comics, and vinyl, and action figures. He loved video games and watching informative podcasts.
Even as a small child, Eric was attuned to other people’s pain. He gravitated toward the “underdogs,” which garnered comments from his teachers about his kindness. This attunement applied to his parent’s divorce when he was four, when he developed migraines that persisted throughout his life.
Not competitive, animals, reading, drawing, horror movies, and action figures were his preference over the team sports he tried. He also loved comics, especially Batman. His love for the darkness, strength, and integrity of Batman carried into his adult life. After his death, friends remarked that “Eric was my personal Batman,” and that Eric, like Batman, held on to virtues almost to absurdity.
Eric’s greatest love in life was music. Around 13, he started skateboarding. Punk music was the background of the Tony Hawk skateboarding videos he watched, which started his love of punk. A friend of his mom’s bought him a starter guitar and amplifier which he taught himself to play. He formed a band and spent hours writing and playing. His dad, Bob, a talented drummer, taught him how to play drums and introduced him to metal music and by his senior year of high school, the band recorded a CD and played on stage at the LocoBazooka music festival in Worcester. Eventually Hardcore music became the genre that spoke to his soul and one he followed the rest of his life. Later, in California, he recorded four original songs with the drummer of one of his favorite bands, TERROR. His one unfulfilled dream was to be in a band performing music that had a message people needed to hear. He told his mom often that music “lit up his brain” and that he felt it had often “saved his life.”
Eric enlisted in the US Army when he was twenty. He served for almost six years deploying to Iraq during the global war on terrorism, attaining the rank of sergeant. He was a worthy leader, fair and honest, and someone others turned to for guidance on their work as soldiers and for personal problems. Though serving was his greatest pride, what he did and saw created physical and mental pain. His mother, Joanne, knew what a struggle those times were for him and believes that his greatest accomplishment was his determination to stay drug free. She often told him how proud she was of him.
In his last few years, he bought gifts for people, gave people money, and tried to help those he knew were struggling. He was kind and compassionate to the end. His last compassionate act was being an organ donor; he was able to donate several organs, including his heart, so that others would have life. He was the Batman for people he didn’t even know.
Eric’s mother, Joanne Gillespie, provided the information for this narrative.
July 20, 1983- March 7, 2022 – Age 38
Portrait Artist: Theresa Clower
Narrative Writer: Lynn McKnight
