CAROL BLYBERG
n e w c h u r c h l i f e : j u ly / au g u s t 2 0 1 4
made a lasting impression that he
wanted to share.
On this 50th anniversary of their
championship, the entire team – with
wives, fellow rowers, and the widow
of their beloved coach – came back to
Philadelphia to be honored for their
achievement. But a huge part of their
The ’64 boat honors Stroke Dan Ebert
mission was to spend a day in Bryn Athyn
at his Bryn Athyn grave.
– touring the Cathedral, Glencairn and
Cairnwood, but especially to visit Dan’s grave in the Bryn Athyn cemetery.
There his seven teammates, plus the coxswain, stood in the order of their
boat and faced Dan. Each one spoke directly to him in turn – about how they
remembered him and what he has meant to their lives. He had an enormous
impact on them, as anyone who knew Dan could understand. As they faced
his tombstone, I saw a calm and smiling Dan reflected in their teary eyes, and
in the smiles and memories of those who paid deep respect to him and to each
other.
The next day we were invited to join them on the Schuylkill River for
the Dad Vail races. There was another special tribute at a river-side reception,
where Carol took Dan’s place in the lineup and was presented with an engraved
silver plate in his honor. There were many stories, many laughs, many tears, as
we all remembered this great man. Carol spoke very movingly about Dan – for
whom our oldest son is named. I talked fondly of him as a teammate at the
Academy. They clearly loved connecting Dan with the Church and the Bryn
Athyn community.
All of this was a touching, powerful and emotional experience, and we felt
privileged to be a part of it, along with Dan’s sister, Terry, who flew in from
Oregon. This was the first time these men had been together in 50 years to
grieve their loss and pay their respects to a man they unabashedly loved. It was
very important to them to do this and they came away from it with an even
greater appreciation for Dan and his faith. They were very sincere in learning
about the Church, and felt they knew Dan even better because of their visit to
Bryn Athyn. Many of them bought books in the Cathedral Bookroom to take
home with them.
It was poignant as well to see the bond that still exists with this band of
brothers. And that is not hard to understand. There are no superstars in rowing;
it is everyone working together as one, for a common goal – “good things from
a harmony of many.” But they had a leader and they haven’t forgotten him.
Somewhere, surely, Dan was beaming, while our eyes were filled with
pride – and tears.
(BMH)
380