If you were at the funeral for Eric Anthony Fritts these lyrics from Bob Seager's song Shame on the Moon, may sound familiar to you. My sister and I chose this song to be played at the beginning of Eric's funeral in hopes that the words would somehow help people understand what Eric had done. My brother, Eric, took his own life at age 23 on November 11, 1991. This is a day that I will never forget and I am here today to do something I was emotionally unable to do six years ago; pay tribute to my brother, Eric Anthony Fritts.For those of you that did not know Eric, he came from a family with two sisters and loving parents. He spent most of his life in Murfreesboro, TN, making friends and having a good time. I can look back and remember him always having friends around, playing ball, or playing music. Today, I would like to tell you about Eric's life, his love for music and sports, and his good natured sense of humor.
Eric's love for music also had an effect on me. By the time I was six years old Eric had taught me the names of every band member in REO Speedwagon. His friends thought it was pretty cool that a first grader could list off their names on command. When Eric practiced his electric guitar during my naps I would yell at him, but I always had respect for his music. I am now proud to own his album collection. I love to show my friends his Led Zepplin and Santana albums and remember Eric through his music.
Eric was probably the most athletic out of our family. From little league, to church league, to sports at school, Eric was always part of a team. With his friends, Eric would play: golf, frisbee golf, darts, driveway basketball, computer baseball, and punkball. If you didn't know Eric you havn't heard of punkball. Basically its baseball played in the vacant lot next door to our house using a tennis ball and only three or four players. I'm sure a lot of you played the same game but with a different name. I remember Eric and his friends playing sports all the time. They even had championship tournaments in computer baseball and made golf videos for fun.
The epitaph on Eric's headstone in Stone Mountain, GA, reads "His kind spirit and gentle smile will live forever in our hearts." My Dad wrote this and the entire family agrees that this is how Eric should be remembered. If you were to ask any of Eric's many friends they would tell you he was a great guy. He was very creative and really funny. Eric was always doing things to make people laugh like making funny words or songs. Does anyone know what a "heah" is? If you knew Eric personally you probably do. A "heah" is a word my brother and sister made up which means gossip. "Did I get any heahs today?" can be translated as "Did anybody say anything about me today?" There are "good heahs" and "bad heahs". That is just one example. There are other things such as "daucetts" and "OBG's."
There are many other great stories about Eric, I am just sorry that he died when I was only sixteen. I never really got to hang out with Eric on a social basis. My sister and his friends have told me stories about the great times they had getting to know Eric. I know that if he was around now we would have a great time together too. Eric was loving as well as fun. He always showed respect for his family, especially our mother. I know that he loved us as much as we love him.
I can't explain what happened to Eric or why he chose to take his own life but I ask you not to be angry with his decision but to accept it. Yes, I am angry at the situation and the fact that I will never have another Christmas or Easter with my brother, but please remember Eric for who he was and not for how he died. During his short time on Earth he touched many lives and if we can just hold on to that memory, Eric's gentle smile and kind spirit are still alive. I would like to leave you with the words of Bob Seager:
 | MENTAL HEALTH PAGE | | HEALTH INDEX | | HOME PAGE |
 |
Get your own Free Home Page