A brief note from our family,
Eric’s Story is very difficult for us as a family to tell. We often feel that it’s not ours to tell. There is no clear beginning or easy way to start, and the end remains painfully abrupt.
As Eric’s loved ones, we share his story to honor his memory the best we know how, through transparency, in the hopes that it can and will save lives! Our goal is for his personality to be known, his heart better understood, and his mission to help others live on.
As we navigate this experience together, we encourage everyone to advocate for themselves and each other! Sadly, we cannot bring our lake-loving, car-selling, hockey-obsessed jokester back to us.
We pray that sharing Eric’s story will inspire change in how society views suicide and help bring awareness to the importance of mental health and wellness.
– The Tenvoorde Family
Who was Eric Tenvoorde?
Eric was a protective son, a best friend to his only sister, a supportive cousin, a loving nephew, and a proud dog dad. He was a coach, a manager, a leader, a role model, a shoulder to cry on, and an arm to lift you up. Eric was a fighter… a born protector. Once in his heart, there was no escape. Eric was a friend to many and a stranger to few. His selfless compassion was evident in the many lives he touched. He was and remains much more to us than these words on this website.
Eric took particular pride in being different from everyone else. From his unnatural cross-handed golf swing to his hat collection and eclectic wardrobe choices, he was one of a kind. Always willing to instigate a prank, his contagious smile was a telltale sign that some mischief was about to ensue or already had. He truly enjoyed playing on the lake with family and friends.
Eric worked tirelessly to be successful in all he did: his work at Tenvoorde Ford and Choice Auto, his friendships, his golf game, and everything about hockey. “Our Eric” had a special connection to hockey that few understood, but none could deny. He quite literally lived it. He played, coached, and watched it. Eric made memories on and off the ice that he cherished for years. He decorated his home and office with an abundance of hockey paraphernalia. Eric even named his puppy after Mikko Koivu (of the MN Wild) and taught him to dance to the command of “GO WILD” when his favorite NHL team scored.
We can’t tell you, with certainty, what led Eric to his end. We’ll never be able to tell you how he felt, his perspective, what went through his mind, his past experiences, or even how long he silently battled depression.
What we can speak to, difficult as it may be, is that we knew Eric began to struggle with a very private opioid addiction. We did our best to help in the ways we knew how. We were admittedly not fully educated on cultivating continued support or recognizing what that looked like when we thought he was “better.” We didn’t recognize or realize the depths of his pain until it was too late.
Eric died by suicide in October 2018 at the age of 33.