Friday, December 05, 2003
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An angel in the outfield - Emily Neutzling remembered by Cobber teammates and athletes
By Lindsay Czarnecki Confined to the corner of the Frida Nielsen Lounge, stories are shared along with the sounds of laughter, sniffles, silence and tears. The Concordia softball team unites itself for the first time since the death of their teammate, Emily Neutzling. I can’t begin to count the number of Cobber Softball shirts I see, hugs, or the gold and maroon ribbons that are worn with the Concordia “C” and Neutzling’s number, 23, on opposite sides of the ribbon. Accompanied by their coach Stacey Holm and Pastor Phil Holtan, there is a tremendous sense of togetherness among the team. All the players then take a break from story-telling to feast on chocolate cupcakes made by Holm, a favorite of Neutzling’s, with 23s on the top. “She could eat with the best of us,” one player exclaims. Another replies with, “She didn’t care if it was healthy.” As a fellow Cobber athlete, sitting in on their meeting was as much devastating as it was uplifting. Despite tears there were smiles. A unique bond was taking place that one only sees with a family, a team. I wish I knew Neutzling, and I wanted to bring that feeling to the Concordia community. What follows are accounts from her teammates and fellow athletes. Their touching stories and images bring to life a person who will truly be missed. “I feel so fortunate to have known Nitz for most of my life. She, Brice [Berggren] and I all grew up a block away from each other. I will always remember her as an upbeat, happy person with an unforgettable smile. She was always a great friend who was never too busy to share some time, whether it be shooting hoops, throwing a ball around or sitting on the front steps talking until late. The neat part about Nitz was that she would have done that for anyone, you didn’t have to be a close friend-she could get along with anybody. She loved playing sports and it showed, she kicked butt in whatever she chose to do and always went about it with a positive attitude. She had a deep love for her family, playing volleyball for her mother and cheering on her dad at every one of his games. She was looking forward to watching her little sisters grow up and dominate the court and field like their big sister.
“Nitz loved softball. Even if we were sitting on the bench, taking book and chasing after foul balls we always had fun. She and I would get so excited during the season if we got to bat. She’d joke that she was going to hit a homerun. And we kept track of every time we struck out. And even if she did, she would come back with a big old grin on her face and say, “maybe next time.” I’m really going to miss that.”
“As I lay in bed at night thinking of my best friend Emily I try to think of all the words that best describe what a wonderful person she was. The one word that sticks out in my mind the most is, “PERFECT.” Emily was the outstanding friend who is always there, willing to talk when you need somebody. Emily was the fun person who you love to be around because of her ability to make you laugh. Emily was the confident individual who helps you believe in yourself when things seem impossible. Emily was the joyful kid who reminds you to have fun and enjoy life. Emily was the buddy who picks you up when you are feeling down. Emily was the cheerful friend who always wears a smile on her face to make everybody else’s day much better. Emily was what you would call a PERFECT daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, niece, and most of all, a PERFECT friend! We Love You Nitz!”
“Where do I start? There is so much I could say about Emily “Nitzy.” I don’t think that I’ll ever meet a greater person than her again. She was one of a kind. Nitzy had been my roommate for almost a year and a half. From the first day I met her, I loved her. It’s going to be hard to not have her with me everyday, but she’ll ALWAYS be in my heart. Her laugh and smile were so contagious. Hearing and seeing her smile just made your day. I’m definitely going to miss her a ton, but by remembering the memories we had, will be what keeps me going.”
“It didn’t matter where Emily went, whether it was the mall in the cities, or the beaches in Florida, she could always walk by total strangers with a smile and a welcoming hello. She was one of those where if you were not able to sleep at night, her number was the first you called and could talk to her for hours on end. Emily could always be found walking to class wearing the traditional cobber softball sweatpants and hooded sweatshirt. She was also one of those types of people who you could lock into a room and leave her there with her friend for a few days and she would still be walking out of there laughing and smiling. She was and is going to be a kid forever, and we are all going to miss her dearly. We love you Nitz!”
“Emily “Nitzy” was our friend, our teammate and our neighbor in the dorms last year. We can’t remember a time when we would walk past her room without saying hi. Anytime we needed anyone to talk to, she was always there to listen to us. She was the type of person who would talk to anyone, she wouldn’t judge anyone and made everyone feel like they really mattered. Last year for softball we took our annual trip to Florida. While eating at Perkins, Emily of course made friends with the oldest two guys in the restaurant as well as the youngest two little kids because that is just the kind of person she is. At softball practice, well anytime, she was the teammate and friend that would go up to whomever was having a bad day and cheer them up with a great big hug and her charming smile. She will be deeply missed by everyone that knew her for her whole life, for a few years, or even for a few months. She inspired and impacted those who had only met her for a day. We wish we could explain how her simple smile could bring so much joy into our lives but it is hard to express what words can’t explain. WE LOVE YOU NITZ with all our hearts and will hold on to the memories we share with you!”
“Emily was one of a kind. She touched everyone she met. She always wore a smile on her face and it rubbed off on everyone she was around. She will be missed and no one will ever fill her shoes. She will be our ‘angel in the outfield.’”
“I remember Emily smiling – she always had such a big smile on her face. That’s how I will always remember her.”
“Nitz always wore a big smile and was able to make everyone around her feel welcome within the shortest time. She radiated happiness and brought a good time along with her wherever she was. Emily could keep us all grounded by making light of any situation. Her presence will be irreplaceable.”
“Nitz and I had a thing for guys. I was always chicken to approach them and Nitz would always be able to talk to them. So she would always drag me with her because I couldn’t do it alone. We had a special “guy” bond. She was awesome.”
“Nitz was an absolute angel. Everyone seemed to know her whether they were best friends with her, played softball with her, or had a class with her; she always made such an impact. One that no one else could make; she made you feel warm inside and she always knew what to say and it ended with a smile. As hard as it is to lose such an amazing person, I’m happy to say that every moment spent with her was fun and I was always able to smile and laugh. And that last day I saw Nitzy, we ended it with a laugh. We all love you so much Nitz and you’ll be forever missed. But as the prayer at the funeral said, “she’s just a room away,” God bless and may your spirits forever be with us bud.”
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