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Austin Robert Croffoot, 16

Exuberant. Hilarious. Charismatic. Kind. Generous. Empathetic. Austin Robert Croffoot, 16, of Hayden, Idaho, was all of those things and more. His absence in our world will forever reverberate. Son, brother, grandson, friend and student, he died on Monday, June 4, 2018. His family, his friends, and the greater Hayden community are so sad to lose this bright and shining young man.

Austin was born on March 4, 2002, to Tammy Irwin and Kevin Croffoot. His dimples should have warned them that his life would be devoted to fun. His brothers, Jade and Micah, and his sisters, Danica and Della, remember a childhood of blissful independence, as if from another era. For many years they lived on a farm, far out on Bunco Road next to acres of the National Forest. It was a family farm, and they had a rotating group of animals and plants that they raised and cared for. The special freedom of that time offered a way of life that grounded them in the rhythms of the natural world even after they left. It also meant they developed close connections between one another. From that time forward, for all their little bickering, Austin was fiercely loyal and devoted to his siblings, especially his sisters, for whom he felt a deep protection. All four were held closely in his heart, and they acted as both guardians and audience to his adventures.

After moving back to the city of Hayden, Austin threw himself into school and social activities. If there was a club, he was happy to try it; a sport, he was game to go out for it; a new person, he wanted to be their friend. In High School, he was in band (where he played the trumpet), track, youth groups, and he loved to play soccer in the park named after his grandfather. Busy yes, but mostly he was about always making connections. Austin was deeply and continually working to make emotional connections with the people around him. He was empathetic, always thinking about others, and he felt his emotions deeply.

Austin stood out from other kids his age for so many reasons. He had a special bond with his grandparents. His now deceased grandfathers, Vern and Bob, were lifelong handymen, and Austin was happy to tag along and observe, and then graduate from junior assistant to senior assistant for all of their projects. But his concern for his grandmother, Carol, was beyond all of that. There were many nights he postponed his social activities when he felt that he needed to be there for her if she was alone. Very few kids his age were so solicitous of their grandparents.

He stood out with his continual smile. He was always kind, always polite, always generous, and always looking for fun. His sisters remember how he tried to surf the snow wearing a Gopro while being pulled by the golf cart. He is remembered for his stream of steady quips and asides meant to brighten the day of people around him.

He stood out with how he balanced being a positive and fun social presence with being a strong academic. In many ways, he was persistent in pushing himself and his siblings, driving them all to keep trying and keep improving in whatever they were doing. They say he exemplified the idea of ‘always perfecting.‘ He encouraged them to do a lot of things. He looked you in the eye and listened to what you had to say when he talked with you. He was a wonderful writer and poet.

Austin said when he grew up he wanted to travel. He wanted to see Italy and Greece and France. He wanted to be a firefighter like his father, and often talked about how sharing a ride-along at the station with Kevin and the crew was a highlight for him. They had a special bond. He talked about wanting to have a family of his own. But he won’t be able to do these things. For all of this love and achievement and success and happiness, Austin also often felt deeply sad and upset at many things that were happening around him. In the end, in a dark moment, he decided to take his life to end the pain. We want to never forget him, because he touched so many of our lives deeply. In his final letters to his father he talked about the stars in the sky and how at anytime we can look at the stars and talk to him if we miss him. He also asked that we remember to be kind to those around us.

Austin is survived by his mother, Tammy Irwin; his father and mom, Kevin and Kathy Croffoot; his siblings, Jade Sawicki and Micah, Danica and Della Croffoot and Mikayla and Johnathan Moseley; his grandmothers, Carol Croffoot and Anita Irwin; his aunts and uncles, Tanis Irwin, Kevin Irwin, Ryan Irwin, Kimberly Croffoot-Suede and KC Croffoot; and his numerous cousins and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Vern Irwin and Bob Croffoot.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Private burial will be at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens. One of Austin’s final wishes was to have a barbecue to remember him, so a barbecue will be held at Croffoot Park, starting at 5 p.m., on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. All who remember him with kindness are welcome. Please visit Austin’s memorial and sign his online guestbook at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.

Words have meaning and can hurt as well as heal. Remember there are always second chances. Be kind to one another. Forgive one another. Love one another.