A Special Blessing for Emerge
“Kickin’ It With Luke” Memorial Fund donates $12,000 to Emerge For A Client Van and Outdoor Activities
Lucas “Luke” K. Stoddard, age 29 of Dayton, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. Luke was born on October 27, 1987 at a whopping 12 pounds and remained larger than life for the next 29 years. He was a 2006 graduate of Northmont High School and an avid European Soccer fan. Luke always had a twinkle in his beautiful blue eyes and a smile that would warm your heart. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew him, including a host of friends from coast to coast. Luke is survived by his parents, Greg and Cindi Stoddard; brother, Zach (Lauren) Stoddard and newborn look-alike nephew, Cillian; sister, Annie Stoddard; the love of his life, Melanie Wagner; and of course, the loving Leis family and the Stoddard Clan.
Lucas Stoddard was the kind of person who made an impression on everyone he met. He had a zest for life, never met an adventure he didn’t pursue, and was always the life of the party. When Luke passed away after a long struggle with addiction, the world lost a person whose personality, energy, and loving heart will be sorely missed.
Luke was always energetic and active, and grew up playing sports. When he was a teenager, he suffered an injury and was prescribed pain medication that led to a long struggle with addiction. Luke actively and passionately battled the addiction in a struggle to stay drug free, with the support of his family and closest friends.
Luke’s death brought an awareness to his friends and family that addiction, like any disease is something that can affect anyone. Addiction was just a small part of the life that Luke lived, and doesn’t define him or his legacy.
What does define him:
His passion for adventure – Luke loved to travel, hike, and explore new places, whether that was a new city or country, or a new restaurant here in Dayton.
His generous spirit – Luke would give you the shirt off his back (or the hat off his head!) if he thought it would make you happy. In fact, he did just that on his last trip to the Dominican Republic – Luke gave his favorite Knicks hat to a little boy living in an orphanage in the DR. You should have seen the big smile on the child’s face when Luke placed the hat on his head.
His love for his friends and family – The affection that Luke had for his friends and family was no secret! Luke was the king of PDA – you never doubted that he loved you.
His boundless work ethic – Luke was never one to shy away from working hard! Whether that was at his job, on his house, or in the yard, Luke loved the sense of accomplishment that came from finishing a project.
Luke isn’t physically with us anymore, but we would love to have your help in honoring his memory. Through our events, we strive to bring people together to celebrate Luke’s life, to celebrate all lives lost to addiction, and to raise money for organizations whose missions help individuals and their families who are impacted by addiction-related issues.
Kickin’ it with Luke
The annual tournament is held in memory of 29-year-old Lucas Stoddard, a Dayton native. Luke was the kind of person who made an impression on everyone he met. He had a zest for life, never met an adventure he didn’t pursue, and was always the life of the party. When Luke passed away in 2017 after a long struggle with addiction, the world lost a person whose personality, energy, and loving heart will be sorely missed.
“Addiction was just a tiny part of the life that Luke lived, and doesn’t define him or his legacy,” said Melanie Wagner, tournament organizer. “He always loved kids, and was perpetually the fun cousin, uncle, and life of the party. I know he would be proud to support all of this year’s organizations.”
Over 500 people attended the first two tournaments, raising nearly $10,000 in the first year and $15,000 in the second year.
For more information, to donate or get involved contact Elaine Bonner, Director of Philanthropy at Emerge at 937.974.6120 or visit https://www.emergerecoverytrade.com/
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