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'Best friend to a lot of people'

By Hillary Ryan

He was one of the originals in a cast of many characters. From the first day of school he made us laugh with his jokes and outbursts. If you were having a bad day, Ian could change that, causing you to laugh until you cried, and smile until your face hurt. Whether he was reciting lines from movies, or debuting his own original creations, he caused those belly laughs that make you feel joy and pain all at once.

I can’t do justice to someone with such a great personality. I’m just trying to show how much he meant to me.

People were always drawn to his outgoing and welcoming disposition. I don’t think I can name one girl who didn’t have a crush on Ian Kortbek - I know I did, for about six years. He had the power to make you smile when you’d think you’d forgotten how. It’s the kind of gift many people wish they possessed.

We would get in trouble a lot in class for laughing. Well, mostly I would, for laughing at things he was saying or doing. This never made sense to me. Why am I getting in trouble for just being happy? Why would he get in trouble for making someone sing with laughter?

He was an athlete. Though he started some sports later than others, when he took the field or court he looked like he had been there all along. He brought his competitive nature to every game, and also pleased the crowd with his humor and skills. He was sure to give the crowd a little “French pastry” - only his schoolmates will understand the phrase - every game he played.

He would download about 200 songs a day. Mostly, they were songs we hadn’t heard of, but he was sure to spread the word, and by the next day one or another would be a unanimous hit within the school.

He was always online, talking with his summer friends and friends from the island. When I needed a good laugh because schoolwork was getting me down, I would simply sign on, send him a warm greeting, and wait for what he had in store for me.

He started his countdown to summer in September. It was his favorite time of year, and he let everyone know it. I can still hear him asking me, “Hill, are you ready for summer? It’s so close!” while we would be sitting in a snowdrift in the middle of January. He should have been a comedian; he should have been a professional skater. He should have been a movie star or producer; he should have been a millionaire. With all of his talents, Ian should have been a lot of things. But most of all, he should still be with us today.

It is indescribable, the pain that I felt when I heard this heartbreaking news. I couldn’t imagine going back to Block Island and him not being there, skating in the boat parking lot or at the post office; not running into him randomly and hearing the latest catch phrase he had introduced to the island.

Everyone from the graduating class of 2002 has lost a part of themselves; something that had always been there, and that cannot be replaced.

He was one of my best friends. He was a best friend to a lot of people. He was a great person, and no one will ever be able to forget him. He will live on inside of me, and in everyone who knew him well. I will see him every time I watch a funny movie, and hear him every time I download a new song. I will never forget Ian.

On Friday night, October 25th, Ian Kortbek was a passenger in his own vehicle and the only one seriously injured in the accident that occured when a friend who was driving at the time ran into a telephone pole.

Ian was flown off island and the initial prognosis looked frightening. Then everyone's worst fears were realized when, after remaining comatose for five days, he was ultimately pronounced dead (Nov.1) from the head injuries he had sustained.The local newspaper's reporting can be found here.

How those who were closest to Ian can prevail through the sorrow they must be experiencing is beyond comprehending. However, it is said that by speaking and keeping company with others who are also experiencing a similar grief that all are healed a bit by the process. These pages aren't meant to be a substitute for the company of those who we all need to be with during times such as these, but more an additional source for remembering and discussing some of the feelings that we might be troubled by - perhaps in the wee hours when we are all alone and might be comforted by the thoughts of another who might also be spending a sleepless night. Further, writing can be theraputic and there will always be someone here to listen - or read - at some point at least.

I truly hope these pages can bring some small measure of comfort to Ian's loved ones and perhaps make this truly unique soul even more impossible to forget.

The following is excerpted from a tribute found in the BI Times. The full tribute is here in pdf form. 'Best friend to a lot of people' By Hillary Ryan He was one of the originals in a cast of many characters. From the first day of school he made us laugh with his jokes and outbursts. If you were having a bad day, Ian could change that, causing you to laugh until you cried, and smile until your face hurt. Whether he was reciting lines from movies, or debuting his own original creations, he caused those belly laughs that make you feel joy and pain all at once. I can’t do justice to someone with such a great personality. I’m just trying to show how much he meant to me. People were always drawn to his outgoing and welcoming disposition. I don’t think I can name one girl who didn’t have a crush on Ian Kortbek - I know I did, for about six years. He had the power to make you smile when you’d think you’d forgotten how. It’s the kind of gift many people wish they possessed. We would get in trouble a lot in class for laughing. Well, mostly I would, for laughing at things he was saying or doing. This never made sense to me. Why am I getting in trouble for just being happy? Why would he get in trouble for making someone sing with laughter? He was an athlete. Though he started some sports later than others, when he took the field or court he looked like he had been there all along. He brought his competitive nature to every game, and also pleased the crowd with his humor and skills. He was sure to give the crowd a little “French pastry” - only his schoolmates will understand the phrase - every game he played. He would download about 200 songs a day. Mostly, they were songs we hadn’t heard of, but he was sure to spread the word, and by the next day one or another would be a unanimous hit within the school. He was always online, talking with his summer friends and friends from the island. When I needed a good laugh because schoolwork was getting me down, I would simply sign on, send him a warm greeting, and wait for what he had in store for me. He started his countdown to summer in September. It was his favorite time of year, and he let everyone know it. I can still hear him asking me, “Hill, are you ready for summer? It’s so close!” while we would be sitting in a snowdrift in the middle of January. He should have been a comedian; he should have been a professional skater. He should have been a movie star or producer; he should have been a millionaire. With all of his talents, Ian should have been a lot of things. But most of all, he should still be with us today. It is indescribable, the pain that I felt when I heard this heartbreaking news. I couldn’t imagine going back to Block Island and him not being there, skating in the boat parking lot or at the post office; not running into him randomly and hearing the latest catch phrase he had introduced to the island. Everyone from the graduating class of 2002 has lost a part of themselves; something that had always been there, and that cannot be replaced. He was one of my best friends. He was a best friend to a lot of people. He was a great person, and no one will ever be able to forget him. He will live on inside of me, and in everyone who knew him well. I will see him every time I watch a funny movie, and hear him every time I download a new song. I will never forget Ian.	On Friday night, October 25th, Ian Kortbek was a passenger in his own vehicle and the only one seriously injured in the accident that occured when a friend who was driving at the time ran into a telephone pole. Ian was flown off island and the initial prognosis looked frightening. Then everyone's worst fears were realized when, after remaining comatose for five days, he was ultimately pronounced dead (Nov.1) from the head injuries he had sustained.The local newspaper's reporting can be found here. How those who were closest to Ian can prevail through the sorrow they must be experiencing is beyond comprehending. However, it is said that by speaking and keeping company with others who are also experiencing a similar grief that all are healed a bit by the process. These pages aren't meant to be a substitute for the company of those who we all need to be with during times such as these, but more an additional source for remembering and discussing some of the feelings that we might be troubled by - perhaps in the wee hours when we are all alone and might be comforted by the thoughts of another who might also be spending a sleepless night. Further, writing can be theraputic and there will always be someone here to listen - or read - at some point at least. I truly hope these pages can bring some small measure of comfort to Ian's loved ones and perhaps make this truly unique soul even more impossible to forget.

The following is excerpted from a tribute found in the BI Times. The full tribute is here in pdf form.

'Best friend to a lot of people'

By Hillary Ryan