Bryan Christopher Frydenberg Bower
June 28, 1982 - May 02, 2011
Lake Forest CA
- Share:
Bryan Christopher Frydenberg Bower
June 28, 1982 - May 02, 2011
Lake Forest CA
Obituary
Bryan Christopher Frydenberg Bower
June 28, 1982 – May 2, 2011
Bryan was born in Oslo, Norway, on a half moon night to the delight of his parents, Jerry and Jia. At a mere 4 weeks of age he took his first bath in the ocean surrounding our summer house in southern Norway, safe in dad’s arms.
Bryan grew up with his family in Irvine, California, with frequent trips to see his dad’s family and friends in Michigan. He excelled in school and was on the Woodbridge High School wrestling team. However, when he met rock climbers at the Master’s College in Santa Clarita, he found his true passion. He could both lead and follow multiple-pitch climbs, always safe and never reckless, patient and encouraging to new climbers. Bryan could be trusted 100% and trained to scale the 3, 000 foot vertical face of El Capitan in Yosemite, a place he loved. His friends miss him enormously.
At some point, probably on his beloved island in Norway, Bryan was bitten by an infected tick and contracted Lyme disease. It was not diagnosed until several years later, by which time the illness had become chronic. The devastating disease invaded his nervous system and kept him in debilitating pain. But he wouldn’t give up: he agreed to one invasive treatment after another, but the pain only grew. Bryan, whose name means warrior, fought like the lion he was. His last years confined him to his bed nearly all the time, in agony.
Bryan was an artist, a philosopher, and a poet. For love of his parents and all he knew he could give the world, he did battle against the overwhelming enemy for years after an ordinary man would have given up.
There is now a Bryan-shaped hole in the universe, that not even time can fill. We, the survivors, comfort each other by the knowledge that for the first time in nearly a decade, Bryan is not in pain. He is strong and whole and his spirit will live on in us, forever.
Interment of his ashes will take place under the oaks at the El Toro Memorial Park, 25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630, Thursday, May 26, at 11am.
Jia Frydenberg
Rolf Frydenberg
Grete Frydenberg
Reidar Frydenberg
Jerry Bower
Laurie Powell
Carol Bower
Harry Bower
————
deep purple souls
the light flickers and the heart beats
man suffers and fights
and god watches ambivalently
white nights in the sands of summer
cold storms on my bricks
call me by my true name in eden
call me lover
i have seen the face of wonder
felt all the glory and despair
taken it in, breathed deep
fallen on my sword and prayed
to an empty sky
to a sky unknown, to a god unknown
all the glory surrounds me
the love and beauty, and also the torturous pain
if i am for wonder in the desert
than so will i be in the valley
or my mountains
broken, wet, and hallowed
Bryan Bower
Mexico
January 2010
No Events & Services
No Charities & Donations
79 responses to Bryan Christopher Frydenberg Bower
Stefano M. Stefan says:
May 16, 2011
I feel fortunate and priviliged to have met Brian – what a true fighter he was. The world is today just a bit lonelier. My deepest and sincerest condoloences go out to his mother, Jia; father, Jerry; and the rest of his family.
Tanya Zabalegui says:
May 16, 2011
My dear Jia – my deepest sympathies. I send you love and strength – God bless. Tanya
terry smith says:
May 16, 2011
In the short time I knew you I grew too like you very much, you were a good person. Terry
The Ryoo Family says:
May 16, 2011
Our profound sympathies on your loss. We know his spirit will forever be with you and your family.
Our prayers are with you and your family.
With Love,
The Ryoo Family.
Jerry Bower says:
May 17, 2011
Bryan was our wonderful son – brilliant, granite strong, a seeker and a visionary and the smartest, truest and most humble person I ever knew. “We look for love too much in the mirror” Bryan said in one of his poems, and, as just about always, he was right.
He somehow kept a sense of humor through it all as well, my God – you could only marvel at these things. See for yourself in his own words in the blog that he did:
uzybear.blogspot.com
The greatest privilege of my life has been to be connected so closely with Bryan Christopher Frydenberg Bower.
Jerry Bower says:
April 13, 2018
To ALL – Go to the Candle Entries in April 2018 to read Bryan’s two best poems: “deep purple souls” and “rain of terror”.
Bryan did not believe in capital letters, even when using the letter i, standalone.
Many times I simply cannot fathom Bryan’s strength, and the strength of so many others, including many of you, who suffer with chronic Lyme disease.
And I believe that though you should not hasten to get there, there is a better world beyond. I believe your excruciating worldy pain returns a commensurate eternal bliss and a spirit that never dies, one where all your suffering comes back to you and to others you choose to extend it to — as an undying love.
Chris says:
January 3, 2021
I pray Bryan is at peace. I knew none of this story until today, and, my compassion to Bryan and family. From a high school friend, Chris..