Happy Thanksgiving...

I hope everyone had a better Thanksgiving break than the Willamette debate team.

On Wednesday, one of our team members, Logan Will, died in a car crash on his way home for Thanksgiving. His girlfriend and our coach were some of the first at the hospital where he was airlifted, and our coach sent out an e-mail to all of the debate team.

When I saw this, I think like everybody else on the team, I was in a sort of shock. I had talked to him just a few days before, and now he was gone. Unlike most of the team, though, I was in the odd position of knowing and liking Logan, but not so well that I ever saw him outside of debate class and competitions. And yet, I found myself near tears—and my emotions don't usually get the best of me. "Why?" I started asking myself.

I know why. Logan was the one person in a thousand who was not only incredibly intelligent and funny, but also completely available. I have known many people who, in their senior year, would pay little or no attention to freshmen like me. We don't have anyone like that on our team, but Logan was especially friendly, even though he was quiet (probably the first word anyone used to describe him).

On the forensics retreat earlier this year, Logan was the first person to help me with my debate style. He went out of his way to make me, and the other freshmen, feel comfortable. And again at each tournament we were at, he was always the first to ask how rounds had gone, and to congratulate or commiserate. I wish I could express this better, but for some reason I can't.

Goodbye, Logan.