In Memory

Fletcher Heins - Class Of 1979

Fletcher fell from a 2nd story balcony at an outdoor bar - Lisa Getson

He was a great guy. Very funny sense of humor. He played football in South Beaches and flag football at FSU.



 
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06/12/10 12:37 PM #1    

Tracy Heins (1980)

Fletcher was an unbelievably great guy and brother.  I miss him terribly.  His fatal accident was tragic.  My family still mourns his loss. He was at a celebration for his commanding officer in Army ROTC at FSU.  Somehow he went over the balcony railing, landing on his head.  (Alcohol was not a factor as his blood alcohol level was minimal.) My family heard differing stories as to how this accident happened.  Some people there said that he was sitting on the railing and was pushed.  We still don't know exactly what happened.  The head trauma was extensive, causing an unstoppable increase in intercranial pressure, causing his brain to herniate from his brain stem. He ceased to have brain activity, he was brain dead.  It was then that my family had to make the incredibly painful decision to remove him from life support.  Both of his kidneys were donated and successfully transplanted to young recipients at Shands.  Now I have a neice and nephew who love to hear stories about Fletcher, so he lives on through these.  He is truly missed.  Posted by his sister, Tracy Heins


07/21/10 11:42 AM #2    

Lisa Morgan (Rider) (1979)

So sorry for your loss. When did he pass?

God bless,

Lisa


08/08/10 07:04 PM #3    

Mark Blue (1979)

Fletcher was my first friend after I moved beachside from Eau Gallie.  I still have fond memories of Fletcher and I doing Patrols together at Indialantic Elementary and scarfing down the warm cinnamon buns and cold milk for breakfast. I’ve often wondered what we would discuss nowadays…


08/08/10 07:59 PM #4    

Tracy Heins (1980)

In reponse to Lisa's question, Fletcher passed from this life on October 10, 1983.  It sounds like so long ago...but he is still missed everyday. 

In response to Mark's comment, what you would talk about now could be almost anything.  He was always very diverse.  But knowing him, it would probably involve Obama and the state of the U.S.!!  He always wanted to run for President of the United States...and I always told him I wouldn't vote for him!! But I am sure some tasty snacks and beverages would still be involved!! 

Thank you both for your kind words.          Posted by his sister, Tracy Heins 


09/09/10 01:39 PM #5    

Lisa Getson (1980)

I did not know Fletcher as well at Melbourne High School as I grew to knew him during my freshman year at Florida State.  His sister Tracy, and friends Karen Heller, Robert Cajal and Steve Neale and I used to hang out in his un-air conditioned dorm, listening to Neil Young endlessly.  His sense of humor was intellectual, remarkable and ironic at such a young age.  I have fond memories of his sideways glances when one of us would say something funny, and we were never quite sure of how we would respond.  Also, I see him riding off on campus or Tennessee Street on his motorcycle, with the Kaiser helmet on his head.  I can see him to this day and remember the absolutely terribly physical sinking feeling of shock that I experienced in Tallahassee when I got the call that he was in ICU in the hospital.  The call I made to share the news with Karen Heller in Gainesville was one of the hardest I've ever had to make.

When they were six, my little sister was friends with Fletcher's and Tracy's little sisters who are twins and now 40.  He would be so proud to see how they and Tracy grew into intelligent, independent and accomplished people.  Until I saw Tracy's posting, I didn't remember that his organs were donated, but that is wonderful.  Somewhere out there, there are people who may be just a little bit more witty and caring as a result of their tie to Fletcher Heins.

I agree with Tracy; if he were not President of the U.S. or a Cabinet member by now, I'm sure that we could catch him as a commentator on the state of American politics on some well-respected TV show. 

It is absolutely no exaggeration to say that for the past 26 years and to this day, when a Neil Young song comes on the radio, it is only Fletcher Heins who comes into my mind.  We will celebrate his memory at this reunion.

 


10/09/10 06:15 PM #6    

Jacqueline Tarr (Sigwart) (1979)

At the Friday nite get together last nite, I was further reminded just how much all of us who knew him miss Fletcher still.  My best memories of Fletcher are the long car trips we made up to and back from FSU in between the semester breaks with Steven Neale and the Derricks (Carl and John) in the Derrick's station wagon.  Fletcher had us in stitches the entire 6 hour drive!  We laughed with him so hard sometimes Carl(who always drove)would have to pull off the highway!  Fletcher would have us all laughing and fully participating with him in all the fun - mooning and rolling down the windows and sticking our heads out yelling GTH Gators at any cars we passed with those ugly lizard decals(Fletcher loved the Seminoles),making faces out the windows at the kids at the rest stops, etc.  In fact I'm laughing now while I'm typing this and remembering it! 

I'll never forget the moment(and remember it like it was yesterday) I heard about Fletcher's accident.  A friend of mine who I knew was friends with Fletcher and saw him more often than I did that year up at FSU came in and was extremely upset and said that a friend of hers had fallen off the balcony at the Pub, and was in intensive care at the hospital, but she didn't say who the friends name was.  I felt sick to my stomach when I asked her was it Fletcher Heins(I don't know why I knew but I just did), and I immediately threw up when she said yes.

I remember sitting behind Steve Neale and Phil Street at the funeral and we were all weeping, mostly still in disbelief, but also realizing we would never get over the loss of our friend.

I haven't seen Steve Neale in about 6 years, and Phil Street even longer than that, and I don't know if they are coming to the reunion this weekend or not. But whether they are or not they might read this and I want them to know that even though I don't usually speak for other people,  I know I can say with certainty for both of them and myself that none of us will ever get over losing Fletcher, we will never get over it.  I know, however, that Fletcher is up in heaven and was watching us all last nite, laughing and screaming at the Gator fans to go the other way, and he will be watching the FSU-Miami game tonite, cheering on the Seminoles and cursing the Hurricanes, and also all his friends who miss him and he will want them to have a good time at the reunion this weekend.

 


10/12/10 03:14 AM #7    

David Johnson (1980)

 I am confident that Fletcher would have been famous for something and the world missed out on someone who really would have made his mark on history.....i remember him as one of the most creative persons i came across at Mel-Hi...particularly when it came to politics!   remember the day that we arrived at school and saw the dozens, maybe even a hundred, small post cards each with its own creatively drafted campaign message on it?....Genius!


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