The death of Eric Namesnik last week following a traffic accident on icy roads in Michigan stunned the Butler community and reminded many of the remarkable achievements in his life.

More than 20 years ago, Namesnik, who was 35 when he died, was an outstanding swimmer in the YMCA youth program, coached by the late "Pump" McLaughlin. Later, he was a record-setting star at Butler High School, before leaving for Florida to finish his high school career.

Namesnik's natural talent and his extraordinary work ethic put him among the elite at the University of Michigan, a perennial powerhouse in college swimming.

Though he performed at the top of the national and international levels for a decade, his athletic career peaked with silver medals in two successive Olympics. Namesnik captured second place in the 400-meter individual medley in both the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and the 1996 games in Atlanta.

The his 1996 effort, Namesnik was touched out by his Michigan training partner, and daily rival, Tom Dolan. The margin separating Namesnik from the gold medal was just 35-hundredths of a second — barely the length of a hand, after 400-meters of trading the lead and staying ahead of the rest of the world's best swimmers.

Many people in Butler take pride in the accomplishments of this community's homegrown athletes, as well as those who have gone on to great accomplishments in the arts, business and academics.

For whatever reason, the Butler area seems to have nurtured more than its fair share of outstanding athletes. A number of those athletes have gone on to outstanding careers in professional football, baseball and golf. But Namesnik's Olympic achievements and his multiple setting of the American record for the 400 IM four puts him in a class by himself.

And as a world-class athlete, Namesnik inspired others — both in Michigan and in Butler. Some of the young swimmers who began their careers at the Butler YMCA and continued at Butler High School and at various colleges, did so partly because of Namesnik.

At the time of his death, Namesnik, known as "Snik" to his friends, was head coach of the Wolverine Aquatics. Considered one of the top young swimming coaches in the nation, Namesnik touched many lives during his time a competitor and later as part of the coaching staff at the University of Michigan, and most recently coaching the Wolverine's youth team.

Under the best circumstances, a coach's relationship with his or her athletes is more than that of coach, or even teacher. In some cases, the relationship is closer to parent-child or mentor-protege. By all accounts, Namesnik played a special role on both sides of the athlete-coach relationship.

At the University of Michigan, one coach described Eric as the son he'd never had. And with the young swimmers on the Wolverine team, Namesnik was more than a popular coach and former Olympian — he was a big brother, a leader, a mentor — an inspiration.

Through his years as a world-class competitor Namesnik touched many lives. And a coach, he touched many more — and perhaps in more profound ways. Through these many relationships, and as an organ donor, Eric Namesnik will live on and continue to inspire.