Editor’s Note: It is our honor to share just a small portion of Ben’s story with our incredible Marathon and Florida Keys community. From myself and all of our staff at the Weekly, thank you to the Segard family and to the dozens who contacted us to share their memories of Ben. Thank you for trusting us with precious memories of an amazing young man.
News on the afternoon of Aug. 1 sent shockwaves through the Marathon community with the sudden passing of 13-year-old Ben Segard in a tragic dive accident.
Though his years on earth had barely reached double digits, an outpouring of memories sent to the Weekly by his friends and family described “Benny Boy” as a consummate waterman as well as a joyous, loving and kind family man well beyond his years – thoughts echoed by his parents Andy and Sadie when they spoke with us by phone barely a week after his passing.
“At 13 years old, he was already a man in so many ways,” said Andy. “He grasped the things that were truly important in life … little things like loving acts of service. He didn’t just say things with his words; he actually lived them out. … He served with a cheerful heart, and we really feel like we just shepherded him.”
For Ben, “living out” those acts of service, included an innate obligation to take care of duties many adults struggle to fulfill, from washing cars and mowing lawns at eight years old to setting his own alarms, planning his own exercises – and yes, even taking out the trash with no prompting.
“He hated being a baby, because he wanted to be a man as soon as he realized that the men were doing all this big stuff,” added Sadie, recalling one of Ben’s few meltdowns when he couldn’t accompany Andy to work at the age of 2. “He wanted to be able to work, he wanted to be able to fix things, he wanted to be able to drive the trucks.”
An early fascination with trucks soon took an aquatic turn as Ben became enamored with the Keys’ marine environment and the boats used to enjoy it. Known to “pancake” a 12-foot cast net with ease – a rite of passage for Keys fishermen – Ben was soon honing his craft with rod and reel and his speargun, even developing a small bait fishing business with friends and learning to sail at the Marathon Yacht Club. In his final year, Ben boated his three bucket list fish, snagging a tarpon one day before hauling in a swordfish and two wahoo together on another trip.
“All of his free time was spent either researching boats and fishing techniques, or putting all that into practice,” said Sadie.
“He found (the 12-foot net) in the middle of the road one day,” recalled Andy. “He was beaming for that one. … What a stud muffin.”
Members of the Segards’ church community at Calvary Baptist Church, where Ben was known for always walking barefoot, extolled his sense of commitment, community and love for God. Through Operation Christmas Child, he helped to pack and send thousands of gift-filled shoe boxes to children around the globe every year.
“We just feel like he lived so fully, when we think about his life and all he got to experience and do,” said Sadie. “It’s like he fit 70 years of living in his 13 years.
“I feel like a lot of us, as we’ve been talking about his passing, all feel challenged to live more fully and live with that kind of passion and enthusiasm.”
“We’re so thankful for the people that we were able to do life with,” said Andy. “It’s not just us grieving, and we’re aware of that, because we shared him with family and friends to be able to be a blessing to us and them as well. We have a tremendous heart of gratitude right now.”
The community will gather for a celebration of Ben’s life on Saturday, Aug. 12 at 4 p.m. at Kirk of the Keys Church in Marathon. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ben’s name may be addressed to Calvary Baptist Church (676 76th Street in Marathon) for use in Operation Christmas Child (memo: “OCC” or “Ben Segard”).
All photos contributed by Ben Segard’s friends and family.
To honor Ben, the Weekly sent out a call to friends, family and community members, asking them to submit their fondest memories of the youngest Segard. From a deluge of heartfelt responses, some of which were lightly edited for length and clarity, here’s what we learned:
“More than a brother, he was a genuine friend and my adventure buddy. Always ready to hop on a boat and go for a dive or go on a paddle boarding adventure, no matter the conditions. He lived life to the fullest and radiated the love and joy of Jesus to everyone around him.”
– Lucy Segard, Ben’s sister
“Ben was a Keys boy through and through. From a towheaded blue-eyed little rascal, to a fine young man who had big love in his heart. He was surrounded by beautiful family and friends who poured all of their goodness into him, and his character bloomed because of it. Ben always had a lot to say and could talk at length to anyone. He was such a character while he was with us and he will be missed deeply by all who knew him. Until we see him again, our hearts are full of fun times spent together here in this precious island community.”
– the Troisi family
“Ben was as old as my youngest son Tony. A sweet and kind friend from our homeschool group and always a team player on Tony’s soccer team. We will never forget Ben’s smile and laughter, and his love for life. We feel absolutely heartbroken and speechless. With a lot of sorrow in our hearts, we are sending our deepest condolences to Ben’s family. May you rest in peace, Ben. You will be in our hearts forever. We will always love you.”
– the Bursa family (written by Helena Bursa)
“My buddy Ben Segard was like Thor in a construction uniform! He was always so nice and very funny. I will miss him most at football, but I am glad that he is chilling with Jesus.”
– Levi Vandervoort, age 13
“Ben was the most beautiful soul. I will forever love his contagious smile and insatiable appetite. Until we meet again.”
– Jesse Vandervoort
“To know Ben was to know peace. His eyes, his smile, his demeanor, every part of Ben carried peace. He was so at peace in who God made him to be, in the passions he had, in living them out so fully. To know Ben was to know joy. Ben overflowed with joy. Oh, his joy and love and laughter. It filled the room, it filled your heart. You always left Ben with a smile or a laugh. He was just the best. And to know Ben is to know Ben’s incredible family. They just radiate the love of God to all.”
– Lisa Wiebe
“Being Ben’s Nana has been a joy. Living below his family, we were able to be a part of daily life. As a passionate 13-year-old, his love for family, friends, food, fishing and so much more ran deep, and he was not afraid to express it. Everyone got a hug or word of encouragement. His hugs were the best! Rarely could I come in the door without him jumping up and bounding across the room with outstretched arms that would finish in a strong hug, saying, ‘I love you, Nana!’”
– Christy Meier
“Ben was always present and engaged with whomever he was around, young or old. He would catch your eye with a grin or smile and was ready for a conversation. He was a good listener, but also willing to tell a story or explain how to do something in great detail. Benjamin means ‘son of the right hand,’ and for his dad and Papa through many construction projects he truly was our ‘right hand.’ He loved to help, to work and to learn. He had more tools and knew how to use them better than many men. He enjoyed working alongside us and he was always a pleasure to work with – as long as we fed him well! Discussions of a big sub sandwich or burger would usually start about 10 a.m. In recent years, his love and passion for everything to do with the water grew exponentially. He learned to be a reliable mate for several local fishermen, and those skills allowed him to facilitate many enjoyable fishing expeditions with friends and family. He also developed a passion for spearfishing, something he had been doing a lot more of over the past year with great success.”
– Chuck Meier
“Ben was fun and playful and always wanting to do things with me.”
– Jubilee Wiebe, age 8
“Ben was fun, joyful, funny. Always up for things. Always fishing. He always loved on us.”
– Gabriella Wiebe, age 6
“We met Ben as a toddler. Even as a little guy he showed such passion. In the sandbox it was always trucks. That passion would eventually become fishing and boats. Outstanding doesn’t begin to describe our sweet friend. Ben impressed me constantly. If we were out on the boat and had a tricky maneuver to navigate through, like a narrow maze of canals or you name it, put Ben at the helm! That boy was sharp with a boat – better than most grown men. He knew every style and maker of boats and often drooled over Freeman boats. He would always tell me the fishing forecast when I saw him; he made it his business to know and share. He is the beautiful picture of an island boy. My favorite memory right now is about a year ago, he and his buddy Kye were saying goodbye after an afternoon of fishing. Kye was about to jump in his boat and take off, and Ben gave him a quick hug and hurriedly said, ‘Wait! I’m a hugger! Hope to see you at youth group tonight!’ That right there speaks volumes for who Ben Segard was: A young man who cared about the people around him and wanted them all in church with him. He had a love that Jesus had put in his heart, and we felt it always. His 13 years made an impact so far beyond the actual time he was here, and he will shine into our lives for many years to come.”
– the Hager family (Brad, Melissa, Eva, Finley & Aaron)
“Ben Segard was known by so many because of his big ear-to-ear smile, most tender heart, eagerness and joy to serve people, ability to talk to anyone from young to old, and above all his radiant love for Jesus. He told me once in one of our countless before-bed conversations that when he got older he wanted to be a missionary. My heart melted, and that moment is forever seared in my mind. He wanted to share the love of Jesus with those who don’t know God, and that indeed is what he did in his 13 precious years of life. See you in glory Benny Boy!”
– Ashley Yingling
Eight years ago we were welcomed by the Segard family with open arms into the homeschool community. That’s when we met Ben. Since then our children have grown up together. The good and the bad as children grow, but most importantly all walking with the Lord. Ben was such a determined kid at a young age, and he really strived to be awesome at everything. He would never give up. Being a coach and seeing his dedication, we couldn’t wait to see what Ben would do. Now as being part of the youth group and seeing his light, it truly showed his dedication again. It has been an honor to watch him mature and grow up into such a young respectable man, always willing to help others. Good job mom and dad. He will be deeply missed by the Judds. Aiden will miss his fishing buddy, and also his church buddy. They were always planning or chit chatting about something. This is not goodbye, because we will see you again. It will be a glorious day when we are all together. We love you.”
– the Judd family
“From the time he could walk, Ben was a boy who put everything into whatever it was he did. He was always all-in. He lived life fully, loved people fully, and loved God fully. Ben brought so much laughter to our lives and always will as we remember his shenanigans!”
– Jen Meier
“Vitamin B/Ben knew how to take the normal and mundane and turn it into a spectacular adventure. He would make walking around a worn-down trail feel like it was the first time it had ever been discovered – he called it a ‘secret trail,’ and along the way he would be filled with wonder and awe at the simple beauty of discovery that would elude most onlookers. Just getting in or out of a vehicle, room or a boat was not merely A to B – he would intentionally declare an adventure by saying ‘parkour!’ and then acrobatically move into the next position, ready for the journey of discovery. We will live to honor him by being vulnerable to the magical moments instead of being drawn into the complacency of routine.”
– Ron & Aubrey Hoard
“Last week, Ben walked me to my car, opened my door and said ‘drive safe.’ It was a simple gesture, but I appreciated it. It was a perfect example of Ben’s kindness.”
– Jaymie Robinson
“Ben sure loved. He has been a very involved part of our church at Calvary since he was two. He started out hiding behind his mom, but as he grew, he became so outgoing. The biggest way Ben loved was to serve his savior, Jesus, any way he could. He was a greeter at the door, smiling to all who entered. He took the offering several times, barefoot! He would go to one of our new widows’ car and open the door for her every week. He loved to help with Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes and touched about 8,000 boxes gifted to children all over the world. God is love and Ben sure shared that love.”
– Juli Robinson
“My family and I have known the Segards since we started homeschooling in 2012. I have so many great memories from P.E., parties, classes and homeschool events, but my fondest memories are from teaching him last year at sailing camp. He always brought a smile to my face when I was talking to him, as he was far nicer, smarter and more grown up than all the other kids his age. He helped balance out my moods when dealing with the stress of work and the less-behaved kids. Sometimes just his presence was enough to turn my day around. Ben was such a happy, kind and fun kid, and we will all miss him very much.”
– Ben Bartels
“We celebrate our best buddy Ben for his adventurous, loving and free-spirited nature. He gave the best hugs ever! Ben’s goodness and radiant smile will forever shine bright in our hearts. Live life like Ben – to the fullest! We love you Ben and the amazing Segard family. Hugs from the Kramers.”
– Tricia, Phil, Jack, Adam & Paul Kramer
