Every kid who grew up in the Cantershire neighborhood will tell you that it was (and is) a very special place. We'd get together every 4th of July for a neighborhood block party and every Christmas when the adults and kids would get together for hot soup, making gingerbread houses and caroling. In Cantershire, almost everybody knew everybody and all the parents looked out for all the kids.

 

Growing up in Granite Bay, Eric participated in little league, basketball, boy scouts, and soccer. He was in the school bands until high school. He took part in (and often won) academic competitions. He loved being on teams, and he began to realize that had an aptitude for leading them.

 

His experiences in Granite Bay culminated when he spent his senior year as the student body president at Granite Bay high school. He loved the role and he enjoyed reaching out to everyone on the campus community. His energetic  "Goooood Morning Granite Bay" greeting in the school's morning announcements was his trademark. He learned a lot about leadership during his years in student government (and he would also admit privately that he enjoyed the fact that there were many more girls than boys in the student government program).

 

While Eric had lots of friends in Granite Bay, his best friends early on were Tyler and Jeffrey from his neighborhood. Whether it was sleepovers, LAN parties, or just hanging out at the Frag Zone (a place dedicated to computer gaming), Eric, Tyler and Jeffrey spent countless days having a great time just being kids. They each gravitated to their own areas of interest in high school, but the bond between them always remained strong. This picture was taken just before Eric left for UCSB.