Kerry Grundlingh, 2004-25

TigerBlog woke up yesterday to gray skies — only he didn't realize how gray they actually were. 

That didn't come into focus until the text message from his colleague Chas Dorman. A member of the women's open rowing team had been killed in a cycling accident, with more information to follow.

What? How? And more importantly, why? 

As he thinks about it, the answers to the first two don't really matter, as he thinks about it. The third one? There is no answer, not one that would make any sense anyway.  

Kerry Grundlingh was killed in an accident near her hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa. The rising Princeton junior was just short of two weeks past her 21st birthday. 

Grundlingh was a member of the first varsity 8 that won the Ivy League championship this past spring. She also represented South Africa on its national age-group teams several times. 

"The world has lost an amazing young woman with the passing of Kerry Grundlingh," said head coach Lori Dauphiny. "She was an exceptional rower and student-athlete, and that is just the beginning of who Kerry was as a person. She leaves a legacy of her life lived as a tremendous daughter, sister, friend and teammate who constantly gave the best of herself for the betterment of others in each and every daily interaction. All of us in the Princeton Rowing community send our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Kerry's parents, Debbie and Francois, as well as her brother, James, and all of her family and friends around the globe." 

There will be a memorial for her on campus this coming fall. 

"This is a shocking tragedy for the Grundlingh family, our Princeton Rowing community and all at Princeton University," said Ford Family Director of Athletics John Mack '00. "Kerry embraced everything that being a Princeton student-athlete entails as she competed on the water and thrived in the classroom. Most importantly, Kerry developed impactful relationships with friends and teammates across campus and around the world. The hearts of everyone associated with Princeton Athletics are with Kerry's family and friends, her teammates and coaches, and everyone who had the honor of knowing Kerry as we all grieve together." 

TigerBlog wrote only last week, with the hiring of Matt Smith as the head men's lightweight coach, about the togetherness and closeness of the rowing programs at the boathouse. That culture has sustained Princeton Rowing for decades, through wins and championships and medals on the intercollegiate and international levels. 

Now it will have to sustain those who knew Kerry, who competed with her, who loved her. It won't be easy, but at least they will have each other. 

TigerBlog never had a chance to meet Kerry. He's read quite a bit about her since he got the news, and he's looked at the photos of her that were posted with the story on goprincetontigers.com (which you can read HERE).

What do they show? 

There are only two kinds of faces that she makes. One is the intensity of competition. The other is smiling. 

This isn't the first time that Princeton has lost a current athlete. Mercifully, the number is quite low. 

Of course, whenever it happens, it's a gut punch. Or whatever is beyond a gut punch. 

TB remembers being called into then Director of Athletics Gary Walters' office in 2004 when Walters told him about the death of swimmer Alan Ebersole. As Gary said the words, TB was struck in a state of disbelief and horror, with a great emptiness that was punctured only by the idea that no, this couldn't be true, not with a young athlete and student in the prime of life. 

It's the same feeling that TB had yesterday when he saw the news about Kerry. 

And that's nothing compared to what her parents and brother and teammates must be going through right now. It's unimaginable. 

What? How? It doesn't matter. 

Why? 

There is no way to even begin to understand. 

Rest in peace Kerry.