Forgiven...but not forgotten

February 14, 2002 - It's been about three weeks since I last talked to Tshombe.  It's been seven days since I heard that he shot himself. It's been five days since he was taken off of life support. It's been two days since his memorial service. It's been two minutes since I last thought of him...

Tshombe was a gift to everyone whose life he touched. Even upon his death he provided the ultimate gift. His organs were all donated to people who needed them.  His eyes, heart, lungs, kidney, liver, hip, femur, veins and even his blood were his last gifts. He would have really liked that.  Tshombe turned 29 just weeks before his death.  Individually he didn't show enough pieces of his pain to warn anyone of the forecoming events...collectively, now, we all see the signs.  He never asked for help. We all blame ourselves for not seeing. How can we see things that aren't shared?  Nine out of ten people asked say that he seemed his normal, happy self in the days preceeding his death...there were only small, seemingly insignificant changes in him.

Tshombe was a very private person. He didn't allow many inside to see the pain that tore at his heart. He was an avid outdoorsman, photographer, cook, fisherman and bike rider.  He excelled at everything he set out to do.  The close circle of friends who he allowed a shallow glimpse of himself to had no idea that he would end his life so tragically...or so quickly. He was thought of as a happy-go-lucky type of guy. He had a ready smile which shone brightly upon everyone that he came in contact with.       Tshombe was a snowboard instructor at The Summit at Snoqulamie. He worked there for five - six years. During his time there he was the Learning Center's Representative of S.O.S. (Snowboarders Outreach Society), a program focused on helping troubled teens discover a focus in life.  It was sheer irony that the one thing he fought so hard for in others was the one thing he couldn't help himself fight.  Tshombe dedicated his life to the kids involved in the program.  He spent most of his free time organizing the program.  Please follow his dream and support the S.O.S. Program.