Ben Fillenwarth

Ben was the kind of guy who could tell if you were having a bad day. He'd do whatever he could to make it better, whether that meant sitting down to talk or doing something silly to make you laugh. Ben liked forming friendships even more than he liked wrestling and traveling, which is saying a lot. Most of all, though, Ben loved that he could share his enthusiasm for things with the people he loved most - his family.

Though Dan and Amy Fillenwarth were both from Indianapolis, by the late 1980s, they had made their way to Lacrosse, Wisconsin, a town in the southwestern part of the state, where Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa intersect. Amy and Dan had already welcomed a son, Kyle, to their family, and they were thrilled to learn that Amy was expecting again. Benjamin Daniel Fillenwarth entered the world on August 30, 1987, a day his parents would look back on as being one of the greatest of their lives.

Ben was an easy-going kid right from the start. His sister Christy was born just two years later in Baltimore, and all three of the Fillenwarth children would grow up being good friends. He could always tell if you were having a bad day, for example, and he was never shy to be sensitive and comforting and use his sense of humor to brighten your spirits.

The Fillenwarth's came back home to Indianapolis in 1991, just before Ben started school at Forest Glen Elementary. Ben would go with his older brother, Kyle, to wrestling practice. It was especially fun because Ben's dad was a coach. In third grade, Ben wrestled and played football at St. Lawrence through C.Y.O. He was getting pretty good at both sports by this time, and worked hard to make his family, and himself, proud. By fifth grade, Ben got the chance to explore something new: world travel. His school was part of a Japanese program that put together a trip to Japan. With his mother, grandmother, and a group of his classmates by his side, Ben got a taste of life outside of Indianapolis. It was an exciting time for everyone of course, but Ben, especially, discovered that he loved traveling and wanted to see and do lots more of it as he grew up.

When it was time for Ben to move on to Craig Middle School, he couldn't wait to sign up for football and wrestling. Middle school was a whole other league, and Ben was ready. He worked hard, and proudly accepted the title of "team captain" his 8th grade year. He also spent much of his time hanging out with his friends. As he moved on to Bishop Chatard High School like his brother before him, Ben felt fortunate to have great friendships with kids at Lawrence North, as well as Chatard.

Ben kept up with his sports in high school, even during his junior year when he suffered an injury. At one meet, Ben just kept going and refused to give up. "I still have one more in me", he'd say, even though the pain was plain and clear on his face. While there was no doubt Ben loved wrestling and football, he gradually became more and more interested in music. He and his friends would get together and play, and before they knew it, an unofficial band had formed. They did some Cold Play covers, and had a great time creating music of their own as well.

Trying new things and being adventuresome was nothing new to Ben. He was fun-loving, easy-going, and always up for just about anything. Every time he got a chance to travel over the years, he seized it. He went to some great places out West with his family, and always kept a soft spot in his heart for Disney World even as he got older. Kayaking in Newfoundland was another great adventure Ben loved. At home, Ben loved to go out on his family's boat at Geist Reservoir with his friends. No matter where he was or what he was doing, Ben wasn't afraid to show how much he cared about people. He hated to see anyone hurting, especially children. Ben had a special talent with kids. They clung to him like a magnet. This was true of adults, too, though, especially since Ben was a pretty deep thinker who was known to ask some rather intriguing questions. Needless to say, Ben made many friends and always made sure to have fun as he kept in touch with all of them.

This summer, Ben had the chance to meet even more people through his job at Holloway House, Inc., a business founded by his grandfather Eck. Ben liked doing odd jobs at the company, and forming new friendships as he did. Closer to Ben than anyone was his family, though. They had great times doing simple things, like having breakfast together or going to Taco Bell. Since he loved movies, Ben was thinking of becoming a writer at some point. His dad agreed that he'd be good at it, but at the same time he couldn't help guiding him to the idea of something a little more practical, like being an English teacher who did some writing on the side. So with just one year left of high school, Ben's dad wanted him to spend the summer looking at potential colleges, but Ben just wanted to have fun and that's just what he did. His dad is very happy about that now. Ben was going to explore Ireland and England with his dad, and he couldn't have been more excited about it. Not only was it yet another excuse to travel, it was also going to be special - just Ben and his dad.

No one expected Ben's life to be taken in an auto accident on Friday night. Although he left the world suddenly, Ben left no doubt about his feelings for all the people in his life. Wise beyond his years, he never hesitated to show how much he loved his friends and family. They will miss his loving presence, and the incredible warmth he brought to their lives.

Benjamin Daniel Fillenwarth, 17, of Indianapolis , died August 6, 2005. Survivors include his parents, Dan and Amy (Eck) Fillenwarth; siblings, Kyle and Christy Fillenwarth; paternal grandparents, Ed and Val Fillenwarth; maternal grandmother, Jeanne Eck; many loving aunts, uncles, and cherished cousins.

Friends and family will gather on Tuesday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Holy Spirit at Geist Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 7 p.m. in the church. Interment and committal service will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. You are invited to visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a personal memory or make a memorial contribution, in lieu of flowers, to the Bishop Chatard High School Capital Campaign in memory of Ben Fillenwarth. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Leppert Life Story Funeral Homes.