Remembering Edrik Gomez

Nov. 4 would have marked a momentous occasion for Edrik Gomez, a former student at Southern Oregon University. He would be 21 years old, pursuing his work as a McNair scholar and enjoying his last year as a senior.

Unfortunately, instead of celebrating his birthday, the family of Edrik Gomez celebrated the life of their late brother, son and friend.

“We called each other and wished each other happy birthday for Edrik,” said Erim Gomez, Edrik’s older brother.

On August 5, 2008, Edrik Gomez and six other fire fighters were killed in a helicopter crash while working in the Iron Complex fire with Grayback Forestry Inc. Four survivors, including a co-pilot, survived with serious and critical injuries.

“I was planning to leave to Oregon that day,” said Erim Gomez of the day he found out about the helicopter crash.

“I knew it was his company, but wasn’t sure if it was his crew or not.” Fearing the worst, Gomez called Grayback Forestry, but the company would not give out any information.

“They didn’t want to release names,” he said. “When they found out I was his brother, their whole demeanor changed.”

“They didn’t say, but I could just tell.”

After calling Grayback, Gomez got in his car and started driving to his family’s home in Oregon.

“I must have been driving for hours and then my brother confirmed it,” he said.

At the time, Gomez lived in Washington and he didn’t return home until the early morning.

“It was a horrendous drive,” Gomez said recalling the trip home.

Edrik, then 19, was spending the summer of 2008 as a wildland firefighter as a first-timer to help pay for school.

“He thought that was an opportunity to get him through college,” Erim Gomez said.

Edrik and his brothers Edwardo, Edem and Erim all grew up in Coquille, Ore., on a small farm on the southern Oregon coast, but his reason for coming to SOU was due to his brothers.

“He came to SOU because Edwardo, his older brother, went there and got his degree

and I went there and got my degree too,” said Erim Gomez.

Edrik was one of those people that everyone genuinely liked and he affected everyone around him for the better.

“One of Edrik’s really lovely qualities as a person was that he always seemed to speak from his heart,” said Jody Waters, Communication professor and Edrik’s advisor.

Edrik was majoring in Political Science and Communication and was passionate about many things throughout his life.

“He loved politics and more than anything he loved conversing with people,” said Erim Gomez. Edrik Gomez also loved writing and reading.

“He always carried around a book and wrote in it,” said Erim Gomez. A talented writer, Edrik constantly wrote his thoughts in a journal he had with him all the time.

“At SOU, he really found himself,” said Ermin Gomez. Adding, “In high school he was apathetic and from high school to college he went from OK grades to relatively decent grades.”

During his sophomore year at SOU, Edrik, Erim and Edwardo all lived together in Ashland.

Speaking about his parents, Erim Gomez said, “They were excited he was going to SOU and he was going to be able to live with his brothers and that we’d be able to keep an eye out on him.”

“He was the glue that kept us together when it came to brothers,” said Erim Gomez.

It was Edrik’s connection to his brothers that made him such a loveable person. Edrik and Edem, his youngest brother, were only two years apart, so they grew up and did everything together.

As for Edwardo and Edrik, the two, though years apart had a fond appreciation for bee keeping.

As for Erim and Edrik, “I lost my political buddy,” Erim Gomez said. “Me and him had the same love of politics.”

Recalling last year’s presidential election, Erim Gomez said, “It was really hard on election day when Obama got elected, because I wasn’t able to share that with Edrik.”

During his life, Edrik loved hanging out with his friends and getting to know people.

“I think he really liked hanging out with people and having good conversations,” said Erim Gomez.

Within the Gomez family, Edrik was the comic relief. “Family meant a lot to him and he was a funny, funny, funny guy to be around,” Erim Gomez added.

Edrik had been accepted into the McNair Program during his sophomore year of school.

“He wanted to study and learn how to become an academic activist,” said Erim Gomez.

Adding, “Through his writing, work and research, he wanted to form opinions out in the world.”

Erim Gomez believed his brother saw education as a way to be able to share his love for politics, journalism and Latin America.

“He had a passion for his roots and learning Latin-American politics,” said Erim Gomez of his younger brother.

The love of his heritage translated into him becoming an active member of the Latino Student Union and working on many events sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center.

“He was very much a lover of peace,” said Erim Gomez. “Even though he was interested in Latin American revolutions, he was still a lover of peace and hated to see meaningless wars.”

Though he loved peace, his biggest love was food.

“He was always eating something,” joked Erim Gomez.

All joking aside, Edrik Gomez’s love for politics, journalism, engaging conversations, food and family above all else made his untimely passing all the more heart wrenching for those who knew him.