Terje Eggestad, a proud Norwegian, died of cancer Dec 11, 2023. He was a friend of mine from college of 30 years. Circumstanced did not permit him a funeral or memorial in the US.
Thursday night we held a Viking Ship funeral for him at Pennsic. For 20 years Pennsic will invite those who have lost someone to add a shield in their honor to the viking ship. There were about 40 honored on the 2025 Viking Ship.
At Dusk on Thursday night, all those who have lost someone gathered. Then we marched the ship across the Serengeti, down into the forest and the Bog, and finally to the lake where. There were about a hundred in the procession, and the women bards sang sad songs.
Upon reaching the shore, people spoke briefly of their lost loved ones. Someone simply said “Cancer Sucks!” and there was a great verbal agreement on that.
I spoke about TJ who was Norwegian and that he would have loved this send off. Many laughed.
Quickly dusk became dark, as they prepared the ship, and it was set alight.
As the ship drifted across Coopers Lake, one by once voices called out from the darkness. They boldly cried out the name of their fallen, and then their final goodbye. It was chilling and powerful. Cathartic. TJ, I’ve given you the best sendoff I could have imagined. Rest in peace, my friend.