Vincent Evan Pane

Vince brightened up Prison Renaissance. He always had stories to tell about his dance troupe, unfinished wood carvings, self-made clothes, ninja adventures, and chemistry. No matter if there was demoralizing news, we’d end up laughing and bonding.

He also had a strong sense of justice and compassion. Beyond Vince’s many creative talents, it was remarkable the amount of thought he put into his projects and friendships.

I still feel like I could walk onto campus and see Vince laughing and roller skating. It’s hard to imagine someone with so much vitality is gone.

Rest in peace, Vince.

I can't believe this tragedy...

Four years ago, I found myself in a "music tunnel", where a bunch of folks gathered to play music and sing. Candlelight illuminated drawings on the floor and walls, deep voices echoed the words of "Sound of Silence", and a full moon created a magical moment. That's where I first met Vince -- I even have a picture of that moment (the 1st photo). He was wearing a jumpsuit and jewelry that he crafted himself, and when he mentioned he was also doing PhD in chemistry, all that immediately captured my attention.

From then on, I would often see Vince on campus -- carving, rollerskating, dancing, climbing trees, or at parties with friends. Our conversations ranged from the random to the profound. There was always something grounding about knowing he was around.

Vince always had a unique and gentle way of treating the world, with a kind of care, avoiding greed, excess, or burnout.

He had so much left to give and create. It feels surreal to be writing about him in the past tense now.

Vince, I can't believe this is it... Thank you for everything, friend.

Brilliant.

Vince was brilliant, in every sense of the word. Intellectually brilliant, as we all know. But also, and most importantly, his spirit.

Vince shone out with the brilliance of a fiercely burning shooting star. His essence exuded such a vivacious energy that ignited flames of passion in everyone he came into contact with. He was a catalyst for creative inspiration and expression. He still is.

For me, Vince will live forever in the brilliance of nature's unknowable beauty. In the awe of incomprehensible natural phenomenon. In the ethereal play of light and shadow, color, texture, and movements of the universe. Through art, Vince's brilliance lives on.

Thank you, Vince, for all you brought to life.

Dear Thomas Pane and parents of Vincent Pane, I am so very grateful that your dear brother and son crossed my path one dynamic year in his journey. On a referral from colleagues in dance, I hired Vince to serve as a graduate mentor to Stanford undergraduate students in a circus production. Yes, a Stanford PhD in Chemistry, mentoring others in a commissioned work of circus movement. None better than Vincent Pane to fill the role! His spirit was infections and he readily spread happiness to all he encountered. My last wish to you, Vince, I hope that you flew freely! My heart and condolences to Vince's family and all his many friends who also loved him.
Gina Hernandez

Truly a man of mischief and benevolent mayhem. Wherever good trouble could be found, Vince seemed to be just around the corner or just under the storm drain. I feel so lucky to have danced, skated, adventured, and laughed with you Vince. We will create, question, and play in your honor.

Looking back, I feel extremely privileged to have known Vince.
Vince was one of the most prolific people I have ever met. His loss extends way beyond the many people who directly surrounded him.

I collaborated with Vince throughout a large portion of his PhD. Especially during COVID, when real face-to-face interactions were scarce, he was one of the few people I would regularly interact with. We exchanged samples on the then mostly abandoned Stanford campus and discussed the results, which made me feel just a little less isolated and enabled me to keep doing my research. Him running batch after batch (often at night and on weekends) of my samples over years, and not losing patience or growing frustrated, was admirable and ultimately what allowed us to succeed, paving the path that my professional career is founded on.

Further, we shared a common passion for various forms of exercise, another subject we could connect over - good times at the trampoline park! Being aspirational myself, I admired how he coordinated and balanced all his interests in combination with a unique lifestyle, while still being there for his friends. For example, he helped me sew patches on a jumpsuit for my analog mission. Together we also ground out the cut-outs of my electric guitar so I could change the pickups. When I showed him the metal hardware that was removed from my fractured foot after it had healed, he wanted to weld a trinket from it, which we never got to, unfortunately.

From science to his art to sports, he was always fully committed and, most of all, genuine, a rare trait these days. (His art, especially the woodworks, are remarkable btw.) On top of everything, Vince was a hoot and just fun to be around or run into. The chance to find him dancing at random locations and during odd times on Stanford campus in self-made clothing was the best.

Vince… I’m struggling to find the words for the sadness and loss I feel. You were such a beautiful soul. That day we spent in Santa Cruz... so much laughter, sitting in the backseat of the car with Isabel. I honestly can’t even remember what we were laughing about – just that we couldn’t stop. I love that you somehow convinced us to go into the freezing ocean water when we got to the beach and how we then spent a good few hours walking into the woods as the sun was setting, searching for that abandoned treehouse with the swing. You always brought this sense of adventure that made even the simplest moments feel magical.
And that time we had lunch at Bing Concert Hall... you showed up in rollerblades, HUGE SMILE on your face, and we laughed so much together. You had this way of making everything feel light yet so deeply meaningful at the same time.
Even though we met up less often after that year, I loved getting random updates from you, about your ninja warrior adventures or dance performances. And from time to time I'd see you on campus, working on your wood sculptures. To me, you represented the best parts of being at Stanford. Your creativity, your openness, your spirit—they were truly one of a kind.
I was really looking forward to your defense, and I regret not being there… it sounded like such an epic event, the kind only you could make happen. It weighs on me that at my own defense celebration a few months ago, I briefly saw you, but with everything going on, I didn’t get the chance to talk to you before you left. I wish I could have told you in that moment how much it meant to me that you were there and how much you meant to me, period.
Vince, you were unique in a way that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express. You were part of what made Stanford feel like home, and I just wish I could tell you how deeply grateful I am for having known you. You were, and always will be, an inspiration.
Missing you and sending you all my love.

My sweet friend Vince-a-lin. Every time you hugged me, you’d just squeeze me tight until I burst out laughing. We were the three musketeers for nearly 3 years until covid spread us apart. And even then you came and visited me in the Santa Cruz mountains. Whenever I called you, you were there for me. You had my back whenever I needed you. And I have so many memories of us adventuring out in Mother Nature’s playground.

One story that I will always remember you by was when I got punched in the face, during water polo practice, 1 week after I got my nose pierced. And you immediately dropped everything and were tryna help me put the piercing back into my nose. And when that didn’t work you spent 4 hours sculpting an abalone piece for me, and my nose healed around that. T’was quite a silly/intimate thing for a friend to stick their fingers up my nose.

You would pick me up early morning to go surfing after we would go out dancing at night at lame grad school parties. I remember getting into that freezing cold, Great White infested Bodega Bay waters just to make sure you were safe, because you loved fighting those crazy 10 ft. waves.

I loved filming your silly dance moves and photographing your truly insane and one of a kind sculptures. You once spent 16 hours carving me the most beautiful Abalone earrings because you knew how much I loved the shell’s iridescence. You were a brilliant, curious, complicated, and unique man. And there is no one quite like you. I am honored and blessed to have called you a close friend. And I hope to honor your life by living it to the fullest because that is what you did best. You loved the earth and its beauty and I hope to continue to woodwork and incorporate nature into my artwork in your remembrance. Thank you for your friendship, care, support, laughter, and fun adventures. I love you so much my guy. I wish more than anything that I could get a Vince hug just one last time.

I met Vince my freshmen year (winter of 2019) at the Stanford Outdoor Center for an outdoor center trip to Tahoe to stay in a cabin and cross-country ski. Vince had not spent a ton of time on cross-country skies, but we both had a ball running around on skinny skies. For me, it was one of my first off-campus trips of the year and meeting people outside of the freshmen dorm context was refreshing. The rest of the folks on the ski trip were a group of Danish medical exchange students. The subsequent weekend they invited us to join them for a party at their house in San Fransico. Vince gave me a ride down in his minivan and we also gave one other Dannish friend a ride down. At the party, I learned that beer pong was very cross-cultural and admired how Vince was able to easily blend with people from many different backgrounds. On the drive home, we learned from our Danish friend that one of her friends had died in the previous year from leukemia although she recognized that she will never get back the carefree attitude of childhood, dancing was a nice respite from the harsh realities of life.

After that, I stayed in loose touch with Vince for the rest of my time at Stanford. I was always amazed by the number of undergrads that knew Vince personally or impersonally “the guy that climbs on trees”. He touched many lives and will be missed by many friends.

Vince, we were part of a brute squad your first year on ninja, and you were immediately a close friend! Your true renaissance life and attitude was so infectious! My students and I loved watching your dissertation and doctorate program, and we were all fascinated by your work. I'll miss you like my own brother. Rest in peace my friend.

Hey Vince. You were a bit like a younger brother to me and I've always loved hearing from you. (I've even enjoyed watching your wild adventure videos... kind of: sometimes I watched them with my eyes partially covered.) Not yesterday though. It was a brief and yet difficult phone call with your brother Tom, and his words are still hard for me to comprehend. You were such an extraordinary talent, a wonderful scientist, sculptor, dancer, a kind human being, and so much more... I wish I had at least taken a proper selfie with you. I'll never forget you coming to my (our) very first art show in 2020 (weird pandemic times with the masks and distancing!), wearing that badass outfit that you created for yourself. I'm now smiling thinking how excited Mark Twain must be, welcoming you on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge while you're crossing it & rocking that handmade wood hat and those Huckleberry Finn-style hosenträgers of yours. I bet you're a much more lively and fun real character than he'd ever imagined his fictional son would be.

You'd convinced me that it was possible to combine wood sculpting with encaustic painting, and I truly enjoyed creating our two pieces together with you. You were a bit of a mystery to me: why does a young man like you think about capturing the moment of bursting a bubble, or the face of a female figure sinking under water and exhaling her last breath? We turned your ideas into Bursting Dante's Bubble and Help Mother Earth (as she's drowning from air pollution) together. It was deeply emotionally touching: many years later, I can still hear you saying "we should make art for the process of making art, not for the outcome of it". Well said, sweet friend - you had the right attitude all along. You were more present in each moment than anyone else I know. I loved to see you experiment with encaustic painting - you were curious about everything! My dog Stella will turn 12 soon - I hope you will give her another one of your magnificent hugs next time you see her again. She'd truly love that, and you were definitely one of her favorites!

To this day, I truly regret missing out on your PhD defense. I would have loved to root for you during your epic Ninja presentation, and to celebrate your becoming Doctor of Chemistry in your pink self-made velvet suit with the shell-buttons extravaganza. If I could go back in time, I'd join you without hesitation. I'd be more present in your life in general - I could sense that there were times when you felt a little bit lonely, or had a deep-rooted desire to feel more understood.

You'll be missed, Vince. I mean, are you kidding your mortal friends? It would be impossible not to remember you with the great fondness you have always deserved.

To Vince's family and loved ones: I would like to offer my deepest condolences. I'm terribly sorry for your loss and I cannot possibly imagine how devastated you all must feel by such a sudden, tragic event. Vince's charming and genuine personality shone so bright because of the support of so many of you. I met Vince in 2020 through Stanford ArtX - I was a staff neuroscientist at Stanford at that time, and we connected through our shared love for art. His masterpiece, Pabulum truly struck me for its depth and incredible level of detail. (I had the privilege to witness the process of its making, for which I'm truly grateful.) I'd like to offer our collaborative pieces as a gift to the Pane family, in case they would like to keep them. I know Vince never really cared about exhibitions (I believe I may have been the one who talked him into using Instagram - before that, he used to refuse being present on any social media platform). Nevertheless, I'd be happy to include his fascinating sculptures in any of my upcoming gallery exhibitions. Perhaps it would help keep his memory alive? This year I've applied to the San Francisco General Hospital's Hearts in San Francisco project, with my proposed design titled "Holding Space For You": https://sfghf.org/hearts-in-san-francisco/. In case my concept gets selected, I would like to dedicate this heart sculpture (it will be located somewhere in a public place in the city of San Francisco), to Vince: the man who convinced me that encaustic painting was possible on sculptures and on curved surfaces in general. Furthermore, I dedicate this heart to everyone who continues to hold space for Vince and cherishes all the wonderful shared memories.

Sending hugs and love to you all,
Marianna

Vince constantly inspired me to push my limits.

I remember when he first began training for American Ninja Warrior. He somehow managed to balance intense training, sculpting, and finishing his PhD.

We first connected over dinner, talking about his research on agriculture on Mars. That night was one of the few times we talked about research because Vince lived many lives, each one more exciting than the last.

For example, he made jewelries and he made me a necklace, which will always remind me of our friendship and his vibrant spirit.

He was a climber, We spent nights walking together around campus, climbing trees. He was known as Barron the tree climber.

He was a dancer, and I have seen his choreography at Stanford engineering quad and shared moments supporting other artists.

Vince, thank you for showing me new perspectives and sharing a piece of your life with me. I will think of you whenever I see wooden sculptures, trees, and sunrises.

This is a loss that’s hard to comprehend. I didn’t know Vince for a super long time, but it only took a few minutes of meeting him to know how unique of a person he was. Every time I saw him at dance rehearsal, I learned a new, completely surprising facet of his personality. He had more interests and passion for life in any given moment than most people could hope for across their lifetime. He was warm and inviting, with seemingly unending energy to give to everyone he interacted with at Chocolate Heads. We are lucky to have known him.

What an enriching person to know. I remember first joining chocolate heads and Vince being one of the first people I got to meet. Getting to learn how someone can be so multifaceted and so curious is something I’m grateful to have been exposed to.

From dancing, to sculpting wood, to being in American Ninja Warrior three times, to working on his doctorate, Vince seemed to always be pursuing something. I was lucky to get to share in these experiences once in a while. Getting to learn how to be more ‘acrobatic’ in chocolate heads with him, him being one of my students in my ceramics class and sharing one of my passions, even getting together with other dancers and lab partners online to support him in his ninja warrior debut, all of these memories of his pursuit of happiness show his impact to those around him and the memories that he will live through.

My sincerest condolences to his loved ones, and may he be remembered for the happiness that he shared.

With warm regards,

This is heartbreaking to hear. Vince and I spontaneously met on the Stanford track in 2018. We immediately hit it off and shared some really fun adventures that summer. Some of the most memorable ones were not-so-legal activities that may have involved sneaking into and climbing on billboards, bridges, cranes, etc... around the Bay Area.

I still remember the last time I saw him. It was after midnight on a warm summer night and we had just taken our own personal tour of the Stanford Stadium (a nerve-wracking yet exhilarating experience). We said our farewells and drove off in different directions.

Shortly after, I moved out of the Bay Area to attend grad school but we continued to keep in touch throughout the years. I was always so happy to hear about his accomplishments, like competing on American Ninja Warrior or finishing his PhD. Vince is definitely one of the most unique and adventurous people I've ever met in my life. In the short time I spent with him, he absolutely inspired me to live life to the fullest. I will miss him a lot.

I first encountered Vince without really knowing who he was. I just saw a man and a woman rollerblading, spinning circles around each other, and skating backward, all on the way to class. I was skating too, with far less coordination and grace. So I was understandably floored by the display and utterly inspired to improve my own skills.

Fast forward a couple of years and my friend Court invites me out to sneak into the aquatic center at Stanford and dive off the 10-meter board, all while dodging cops and keeping as quiet as possible. And of course, the one and only Vince Pane comes along on this mischievous quest, always seemingly involved in these types of shenanigans. Only after I saw him with his skates a bit later did I connect the dots.

After this adventure, our paths crossed now and then, but his name would always come up among my friends. Once, we talked of all things inline skating outside the d.school. The last thing he said to me was to invite me to skate at Nomad, which I missed because I was abroad. He had a way of tempting you into adventure, and I always sensed a grand project whenever we met.

It was far too early to lose such a radiant soul, who burned so brightly that his light touched the lives of everyone he met throughout his life.

Thank you for showing us what it meant to truly live. I hope you're skating around endlessly wherever you are.

I first met Vince when he began carving Pabulum for the stanford prison project. My favorite shifts in the woodshop at stanford were always the ones in which he was there working away on the new crazy thing he decided to make while musing about life. Over the years as he worked on various projects in the PRL, I got to know him better and so begun our friendship. Vince made an incredible impression on me, showing me how to see the beauty in the most mundane things and how to step back and take life just a little less seriously. Little beknownset to me when we first met, I just so happened to live next to one of Vince's favorite oak trees to climb on campus. Often I would look out my second story window to find vince eye level with me climbing away in the branches without a care in the world. He was an amazing person who touched so many lives and will forever leave an impact on so many of us. In recent years our friendship involved trying to convince him to use his unbounded creativity on the new cool log or stump I found and seeing what crazy idea he could come up with to use it next. He inspired so many of with this incredible artistry over the years and I will always think of him every time I find the next crazy looking log. Even in his passing I know Vince will continue to inspire me to be more free, learn new things, and to just enjoy life. My deepest condolences to the Pane family and all who knew and loved him.

Vince and I first met each other through the arts themed dorm - he was the graduate resident, and I was an RA. I had the pleasure of witnessing Vince bringing light into the world of so many people through this. His unbounded creativity, combined with his deep curiosity and care for people, left an unmistakeable impact on the lives and memories of all of us. The word that comes to mind for me is "Renaissance man". He wasn't bound by the constraints of society, he seemed beyond this. He was a true artist. Whenever I'd see him on campus after we graduated, it'd be a total breath of fresh air. He was so -- real. Profoundly fascinating and fascinated with life and others'. Genius at woodworking, world class chemist, rollerskater extraordinaire, ninja warrior, only person I know who makes his own clothes and so many more things, of which just one would be enough to leave a lasting memory. The world is not as bright or interesting without Vince. We'll miss you - thank you for everything

My friend and I often walked on Stanford campus. One day, we saw this young man working on a wooden sculpture. After passing him several times, I decided I wanted to see what he was doing.
He was incredibly friendly, open, and wonderful to talk with.
We stopped by to see him many times after that.
He was amazing, multitalented, kind, and fascinating -- a Renaissance super-hero.
I am a Stanford alum, and I first lived in Blackwelder (many years ago), where he was living at the time.
He made a deep impression on me, even in the short time I knew him.
My husband and I even invited him over for brunch.
I still think of him when I pass by his wood sculpting location.
He probably lived several lives during his way-too-short time on earth. But I'm so sad that he no longer inhabits this plane.
May his memory be a blessing to all his family and friends who loved him.

Vince and I met over a slice at Pizza My Heart in Palo Alto, and immediately connected over our shared passions for the arts and sciences. I complimented him on his fun outfit and he told me that he had made it himself. At that point, I knew he was a person I wanted in my life.

He told me about a cool arts program where students were creating collaborative works with inmates at San Quentin penitentiary, which I joined immediately. We were the only two grad students involved, but Vince was at home anywhere - and especially in places he could create art!

Vince was an inspiration to me in many ways, and his fearless pursuits of fun and beauty will stay with me always. The news of his passing comes as a terrible and unexpected loss. I know he lived his life fully and generously, and I will take his memory with me as I endeavor to do the same.

Love you, Vince! Thanks for everything.

-Guillaume

Vince and I grew up about a dozen houses away from each other, but It wasn't until the middle school bus ride to Westview that I finally met him. We became friends that first day. Living so close meant we would meet up almost daily to walk and talk, hang out on his trampoline, or head either North or South a mile to our other friend's homes. That is… when we weren't already invading his own house in search of food, entertainment, and everything else that came with the Pane family hospitality. While I would sometimes check in and out of our core friend group throughout middle and high school, Vince was always there for me and happy to hang out.

Our conversations were regularly led by Vince talking to me about things in incredible detail. I wasn't the sharpest tool so Vince was a wealth of knowledge about tons of things that often went straight over my head. I remember many times asking him about just the most random things like "Dude, why do we drink milk from cows?" or "How come waves form in the ocean". I would pretty much ask him anything I was too afraid to ask anyone else for fear of looking like an idiot or getting laughed at. Vince would gladly answer any question I had without any condescendence or judgment. I would often get two answers during these conversations. One that would be about a twenty-minute long explanation where I would chime in with a few "Oh, that makes sense!” and “Whoa… Okay?” replies. After he realized that he was still going on or had inadvertently changed topics he would start the conversation over with a single-sentence response that summed up what he just said in the simplest ways for me to grasp. He never really thought to just answer the question that way to begin with but that’s what made Vince, Vince.

We also spent many after-school evenings talking about the girls we were interested in and how we should try and talk to them. We would spend hours asking each other for advice and run through scenarios of what we would say to a girl the next day at school only to chicken out and have wasted all that planning and preparation from the night before. One night we were talking about this girl in our English class that we were both into and I told him I wanted to ask her out at lunch the next day. I was also telling him this as a way to gauge how he felt and he was cool about it and supportive. At recess the next day, I finally mustered up the courage and got completely rejected. Vince was standing right next to me when it happened and he then immediately took his shot and asked her out too. The girl also said no and I’ll never forget the look of befuddlement she had as she walked away and never talked to us again in that class.

Around this time as well our local rec center had ‘Kids Night Out’ for middle schoolers, where we would play basketball or swim until we realized that all of the girls were in the ballet room where they had a DJ and dancing. We were so awkward and nervous to talk to girls that we started going in there and just stood in the middle of the dance floor and slowly walked to the benches across from the dance floor. We would just sit there and look around but try not to make too much eye contact. Just so awkward and strange! Soon after doing this though, many girls would come up to us and ask if we wanted to dance and we got some of our first (I suppose you could call them) girlfriends this way. These sorts of brief romances would often never last longer than the next time ‘Kids Night Out’ occurred. This taught us the lesson that if you are super quiet and act a little mysterious and uninterested, the ladies will always come to you. This seldom worked outside of that dance room but it made for some good reality checks later down the line.

I’ll miss Vince’s inspiring creativity. Once I began sewing clothing, it was so awesome to discuss and see ideas come to life that we and our other close friends were creating. I once sent Vince a nickel in the mail just to have him drill two holes in it to make a button for some pants I was working on. I probably could have just done this myself but I wanted to get him involved and collaborate on something I was making. I’ll never forget going into his saw dust-covered garage and looking at insanely intricate and detailed carvings of wood that he would explain everything about, from inspiration down to why he chose the exact wood he used.

I’ll miss learning about and watching all the adventures he went on as well as those we shared. One time we met up when I was living in L.A. and we got into one of the most popular clubs downtown wearing neon shirts and gym shorts. We don’t know how we got in since there was a strict dress code. It was either because of who we were with or maybe we somehow slipped through the cracks but as we were leaving, the people being rejected outside were pissed that we got in looking the way we did. We were just cracking up walking away, still hearing one guy loudly argue with the bouncer while we were half a block down the road.

I’ll miss Vince and I’ll miss his presence like crazy, but I am so thankful and happy for all the memories he shared with us.

Vince was singular. He inspired me every time we hung out to live more fully - inviting me into the kaleidoscopic life he lived. School made me serious, and Vince reminded what all the hard work was for: to be playful, to be free, and to bring something new and exciting into the world.

Not only was he an adventurer, he was kind, funny, thoughtful, deeply reflective, and a good listener. He always made room for anyone to come along and have fun. He generated energy everywhere he went. I deeply admire the way he carried himself and treated others.

From dancing in Chocolate Heads, to climbing buildings, doing parkour on the giant marbles in engineering quad, doing ninja warrior around campus, using a VR treadmill, or just checking out his newest sculptures - every moment with him was an adventure. I was and always will be in awe of him.

It is an honor to have known you. I'll miss you Vince.

I love reading folks memories on here, and seeing how many folks he touched. Vince and I were thick as thieves our 5 years at Mines, monks at the monastery, he was my best friend. We lived larger than life when we could, and studied too much the rest of the time. We had countless adventures, achieved some of the highest academic marks, and constantly one-upped the last stunt. He was the best man at my wedding; his speech was (no surprise) funny, charming, and effortless. He forgave me for becoming boring, and not to be too in theme, it’s remembering the mundane things that have given me more comfort lately than thinking on the larger-than-life adventures. I hope some of these comfort you too: “Little things that made Vince the mensch”:
Vince knocked back two gallons of 2% milk a week at least. He would go through peanut butter almost as quickly, 15 oz of Kroger Natural Creamy a week, I think. Vince had impeccable dental hygiene (brush/floss/mouth-wash) and low-key shamed me into taking better care of my teeth. Vince wore pants the way normal folk go to fancy dinner; typically, there had to be an occasion not to wear athletic shorts. Vince was willing to walk in any weather, but was not too proud to take a ride if you’re going that way. Vince once guilted me into giving a stranger a ride to campus because she was late for a test and hitching a ride to the exam. Vince took cars cutting off pedestrians in cross-walks seriously. Vince was not a great accordion player (better than I was a banjo player), but was quite good at playing the theme song to the Claymation movie “Mary and Max” and played it often. I think there was a threshold where if a thing (a rock or a burl or bismuth or whatever) already had a cool shape, he’d leave well enough alone and not try to carve it. Vince and I got tired of turning away LDS missionaries that stopped by the apartment and made friends with several over the movie “Prince of Egypt”, shared Easter candy, and talked about their plans after mission. Bargain items at King Soopers used to be labeled “Woohoo!” which he would exclaim every time he picked up such an item. I once had just the bicycle seat of my bike stolen (sadists I assume), and he found me a replacement from some mall that was being demolished in Longmont. Vince had a soft spot for pugs, and enjoyed the video “Loca can’t fecking run”. Vince helped me search a U-Pull-&-Pay for the mirror I had knocked off a parked car tooling around on my bike. Vince often spoke well of his family, especially Lyd and Tom. Vince and I once put too much work (seriously weeks) into a cardboard boat for Edays; it sank immediately and we looked like dinguses. Vince had a bicycle that he took decent care of, but I only ever saw him roller-skate. Vince introduced me to a lot of music, but there was an insane amount of mileage out of the Bronson movie sound-track.
I’ll miss you bud.

Vince was the most interesting person I’ve ever known. It seemed like every time I saw him I learned some cool new fact about him or witnessed another impressive talent. A true renaissance man with a deep passion for knowledge. We first met through the climbing team at Stanford and instantly became close friends. Vince was always down for spontaneous adventures and became one of my favorite adventure buddy’s. He took me on wild tree climbs and crazy coastal adventures to secret beaches. We shared many great climbs together, such as the Freeblast on El Capitan, Cloud Tower in Red Rocks, and classics in Eldorado Canyon. Recently, he helped me apply and train for American Ninja Warrior. I loved his creative approach to training- using trees, buildings, and other surroundings to simulate obstacles. Best of all, Vince was the life of the party (though he was much more likely to be off adventuring than partying) . Whether it was silly faces in photos, artistic dance parties inside caves, or colorful homemade outfits, he always had a way of making people smile and bringing extra fun to any situation.
There’s so many amazing memories I could talk about, but I’ll start with this one for now. We were at Nomad, an outdoor event at Stanford. Part of the tradition involves people trying to climb a light pole. It’s very slippery. Many try, few succeed. After watching dozens of students struggle and fail at the challenge, Vince skates up to the pole and casually climbs it in his roller blades! I feel like this story represents Vince well: he was great at everything and always added his own unique style to whatever he did.

I met Vince when he was the TA for a chemistry class I was taking. He was a great teacher, but he became an even better friend. It's hard to imagine a more interested or more interesting person. His love of life and his ability to work on about 1000 fascinating projects at once was inspirational and unique. He had a sense of wonder and curiosity that it is rare to see survive past childhood. Vince made our world richer, more beautiful, and more interesting. I send my deepest condolences to his family and all those who loved him.

Vince was one of my dance partners for Contact Improv, a dance form where dancers maintain touch across different parts of their bodies while in liquid flow. Vince was always cheerful and kind, and had a smile on his face always, even under buckets of sweat. I was nervous to dance with someone who was so elegant and to pick up someone so much stronger than myself, but Vince made everything easy and a laugh. Even though he is one of the most multi-talented people I have ever and likely will ever meet, he never made anyone feel untalented. Vince made the people around him feel cared for and important. Being around Vince meant being asked how your day was, how you made your jewelry, and if you were having fun--and we always were. He would sneak in jokes between flips and flourishes, and I would leave class feeling so much better for it. From his impeccable and unique style to his surefooted and beautiful movements, Vince exuded confidence and comfort that radiated out to those lucky enough to be around him. We met during an incredibly difficult time of my life, and he made every day so much better.
Even after our class was over, I was so happy every time I saw Vince skating around campus, combining insane speed and wicked dance moves in a way that made you want to stop what you were doing and dance along. When he saw me, he always waved, with a big, genuine smile, then continued on his merry way, lighting up the arcades of the school with his joy. His outfits were somehow retro and futuristic, and always colorful, his jewelry often wooden and handcrafted. He inspired me to be a more authentic version of myself, because when you truly give in to your joy the way that Vince did, it makes those around you feel more real. He made others happy to be alive, he brightened the hallways of a school that could sometimes beat you down, and he did everything with a grin on his face.
The last time I spoke to Vince was at a dance recital this past school year, and he, in his usual manner, greeted me with a hug, asked how I was doing, and complimented my outfit. Everyone was happy to see him and feel seen by him, and he always left a place more happy and cheerful than he found it.
His instagram explanations of his art and adventures always brought me joy, and he was always willing to explain how he crafted or found or climbed something amazing. Before I met Vince, I didn't realize it was possible to be so amazing at art, science, dance, climbing, skating, fashion, kindness, and life in general. He opened my eyes to the possibility for greatness within every person.
I want to thank his family for raising such an amazing individual, and let them know just how deeply he touched everyone's lives, even those he was only in for a short time or in small ways. Even now I have not captured just how amazing Vince was to me and everyone around him, and I'm sure more memories of his incredible spirit will come to me as I think on him.

Vince was already the man, the myth, and the legend when I joined the Waymouth lab. It was hard to believe that all the stories I heard about him and his adventures could all belong to one person. After getting to know him, he was somehow even more than all that too. He always seemed to have new interests, hobbies, and creations. I will always admire his curiosity that led him to explore so many different parts of science and the world, and how he sought to unite his interests in such creative and artistic ways. Vince brought so much light and energy to the lab and everywhere else he went. I am so grateful to have known him. I am deeply sorry to all his loved ones and wish you all love and support.

I remember that during parties or fun nights at Stanford, I’d see this person dance and zoom around gracefully in roller skates, spreading awe and joy to all those that watched. I didn’t know who that was until later that it was Vince. We first met at Stanford Prison Renaissance Project and it wasn’t long until I realized Vince was not only extremely artistic and talented, but also was extremely kind and thoughtful. I miss you and we all will remember you, Vince.

Vince broke the mold. He can’t be compared to anyone else, or described in any number of thoughtful words.
When he’s not pouring himself into projects, he’s adventuring, laughing, or being incredibly thoughtful. After a long day of classes, he’d stay up late to bake an assortment of homemade quiches, and walk across town in the snow to share them (dressed in his standard winter attire: basketball shorts and a faux Dalmatian coat with purple trim)
Conversations with Vince are often sprinkled with puns and bouts of giggles, and you never really know what he’s going to come up with next. Vince’s creativity is boundless, and the world is his playground.
Vince has the most infectious smile, and shares his passion and genuine excitement for anything and everything with those around him.
After graduation, we spent a couple weeks driving across the country in Vince’s van, and I swear we stopped at every pastry shop, fruit stand, or large tree between Colorado and the Carolinas. I think of Vince every time I have a donut, or see a burl on a tree (“woah cool, that would be so fun to carve!”)
I’m so thankful for the years we spent together in college, countless happy memories, and the profoundly positive impact he made on my life.
I hope he knows how much he means to me, and to everyone, and that he is missed.
Sending love to his wonderful family

vince was like no one ive ever met. he was unapologetically himself because he had nothing to apologize for. you couldn’t meet another vince if you tried because originality came naturally to him. speaking for everyone who came across his presence by chance, we all are inspired by someone who lived a life so intentionally unintentional. doing the things he loved in every moment without a second thought. if there was something else vince would rather be doing, he damned well would have been doing it. forget a bed frame, hell, forget sleep altogether, he packed well over a lifetime into a van with some rotting wood and a pair of rollerblades. he made enough buttons alone to amass a museum (even if the buttons only had one hole and would never grace a garment). and, god forbid, enough jokes for me to make fun of and his mom to explain to me until they made sense and i felt like the silly one for ever doubting his sense of humor she so understood more than anyone else.

the last few times i saw vince was at stanford, catching him skating around campus or in the wood shop working on some project or another. we never were so surprised, really, to run into each other, and i think even in new zealand or elsewhere in the world the sentiment still rings true. the last time i mentioned vince was in the costume shop where we first went through the ringer together making silly things and being even sillier. i told my boss about his “ship of thesius” pants, and showed her my own “rome didn’t fall in a day” t-shirt. every time i mend it ill think of him, patching up his pants after his most recent scrape on an adventure or in a dance.

ColoRADo Trip report continued...

8/21
Wednesday had us heading towards South Arapahoe looking for views and garnets. We summited first and then Max and Vince took off to attempt the South to North peak speed record. I stayed to video, as well as get cold. The runners got 3rd and 4th all-time! The way down the mountain was spent searching for garnets and, though many were found, none were large enough to be particularly interesting. The best find of the day belonged to Vince via some particularly clear and beautiful pieces of quartz. The best comment of the day also belonged to Vince, dubbing Max’s habit of searching for rocks with his hands behind his back “Professor Manson mode”.

Continuing the rock theme, on our way back to Superior we stopped at a semi-abandoned quarry to search for flourite of “grape jolly rancher” quality. Some sand scrambling, barbed wire, and a rock pick later we found some, though it had softened due to weathering. We probably could have eaten it after all.

Arrival back at the Manson home came with science experiments. As Max and Vince discussed some explosive chemistry, I took a nap.

8/22
The “rest day”. Max slept in as Vince and I went for a run and an outdoor workout, followed by doing laundry – a feat of particular noteworthiness for us two heathens. Max’s awakening prompted The Fellowship of the Ring to be put on, and all was peaceful until the evening. Thus ensued the death of the rest day in the form of a pole vault training session (I beat my 2-months-of-high-school-pole-vault PR by 2 inches) and a ninja warrior course (Max and Vince were celebrities and incredible to watch, I was just there). Having properly activitied, all adventurers went to bed sore.

8/23
Waking up in the same condition, the crew wandered over to Estes Park and some crack climbing in Rocky Mountain. Collecting Subway on the way, the approach to the chosen area worked the bejeezus out of the group’s tired legs, resulting in a less-than-fresh arrival at the already-occupied crag. Switching to the next route over, J-Crack, we all got put to work on 3 pitches of technical hand crack. The comedic peak of the adventure had to be my arrival at the overhung final stretch of pitch 2. Max had fallen while leading the section and Vince had pulled through the placed gear, my job was to clean up said gear. However, Max’s fall combined with Vince’s tugging to result in some genuine, though undoubtedly hilarious-looking, struggles to remove the pieces. This culminated with both of my feet above my head, shaking the end of a cam like a rabid dog with two hands, and cussing out the entire rock face as Vince and Max looked on with big ol’ smiles from above.

Returning to the ground, we all happily ate our sandwiches and tromped back to the car. We stayed in Estes for an hour or so eating ice cream, as well as checking out the local toy store (where Max and Vince both proceeded to attack me and each other with hand puppets), watching elk in the middle of the local market, and buying way too much taffy. We returned home to the first half of The Two Towers, a family reunion, and a night out in Boulder. We joined several of Max’s friends, first at a bar and later at a dance club. The group had a blast and danced the night away with a combination of Vince’s signature style, Max’s friend’s ’stir the pot’ move, and the worm. We were planning on rising at 5 AM, but we were having too much fun and only called it a night once 1 AM rolled around.

8/24
5 AM came wayyyy too quickly. Max went off to deliver food to a hut in the mountains and Vince and I headed towards the DeCaLiBron 14ers. It was Grandpa Boeschen's 80th birthday, so we brought four pieces of paper to write down a birthday message for him. The pictures of Vince and I holding up “Happy” “80th” “Birthday” “Grandpa!” from each respective summit were a big hit. We had nearly made it back to the car when the sky opened up and incited a 30-meter dash to escape the rain. Perfect timing. We all reconvened at a Chipotle in town where Max, having called us with no reply multiple times, searched the parking lot until he spotted us both asleep in our seats in the car. Later, at Max’s grandparents’ house once more, we all sat by the fire and chatted as I played guitar and Pat went fishing in the evening light.

8/25
My final day in the Centennial State. After sleeping off the previous day’s lack thereof, I realized it was Vince’s birthday and promptly spilled the beans to everyone else. Amy found some party supplies to throw in the air and we stuck a candle in Pat’s catch from the night before. It was the best birthday trout I’ve ever had the honor of witnessing, and I was informed by the non-vegetarians in the crowd that it was quite yummy as well. We then headed towards the Flatirons. After meeting up with some friends we started the scramble up the Slab. Vince kept my slow-poke self company the whole way up and coached me through some of the trickier sections, even after I chose to get roped up. After topping out, we did some sport climbing before hiking back out, as the birthday boy Vince was not allowed to belay.

That evening we got to the bus stop early to drop me off, but watched from the car as the bus pulled in, didn’t stop, and pulled right back onto the highway. We immediately followed, declaring that “of course, it wouldn’t be us if the adventure didn’t end with something to get the adrenaline flowing”. After chasing the bus down the highway, we pulled in at the next stop right as it was about to leave. I hopped out to flag the bus down and Vince got out to toss me my bag. “I love you guys!” I yelled, and I got on board.

To attempt to sum up all the wonderful time I spent with Vince would be like trying to capture the ocean in a sippy cup. Suffice it to say that I loved him as a brother and will miss him every day. Here is a summary of my last week with Vince, and all the wonderful times and shenanigans therein.

The so-named ColoRADo Trip report (8/18-25/24):

8/18
I arrived at Max’s via airplane, bus, and Max’s car in the late evening. By some miracle, Vince arrived only 10 minutes later, a scheduling feat of luck that could never and has never been accomplished by planning. Dinner was followed by brief hangboarding, not-so-brief commentary on the sorry state of my love life, and bed.

8/19
Eldorado Canyon ho! The 6 pitches of The Yellow Spur were first on the agenda, all of which went smoothly after the first. I decided overgripping and forgetting how to climb were the best ways to start the route and therefore took a fall just after the start of the first pitch. This would have been fine, except Vince was climbing right next door on another rope. I pendulummed into Vince’s rope, spun around it, and trapped both of us in a tensioned rope battle against an overhang. Commentary ensued about how “this was not supposed to be a partner climb” as Vince and I did something resembling a tango to get unstuck. Vince used my shoulders as handholds and climbed onward, I remembered how to climb and followed. The rest of the Spur was uneventful, with the minor exception of me knocking out a lens of my glasses while yanking on a stuck cam. The cam was collected, the glasses (now glass, singular) were put in a pocket.

We moved on from the Spur to The Bastille for some single pitch climbing. Max tried a heinous offwidth, I tried to dyno out of a toe hook, and Vince actually climbed the routes like he was supposed to. We’re not sure what got into him. Interestingly, these climbs were belayed from across a dirt road, so cars actually drive under your rope while you climb. Though that would seem to disturb the ambiance, the nearby river and comfy stone wall to belay from more than made up for it. Storms emerged right as we were coiling our rope and rain motivated us back to the car.

Lunch called, and afterward we walked to the local playground. Shenanigans ensued. We started by climbing a rope ‘spider structure’ and discovering that if we all rocked and jumped back and forth that we could cause a flinging effect on each other similar to a double-bounce on a trampoline. Amazingly, we all managed to stay on. The next event – we had begun to consider this the Playground Olympics – was attempting to go fast enough on the zipline to hit the far end and then return to the starting position. Body swinging, pushing, and many more methods were attempted until Vince achieved victory for the whole team with a distinctly Spider-Man-esque upside down technique. The aerodynamic benefits of this choice baffled the resident Aero/Astro student. Tight-rope walking, surf-swinging, monkey bars, and more soon followed, but the headline event was the game of circular tag that was played on a cylindrical structure of metal bars.

Our three contestants started equidistant and monkeyed around the bars trying to catch each other and avoid being caught in turn. I got eliminated rather quickly but became the announcer as rain started to fall, adding an element of slippage to the challenge. Max and Vince were remarkably well matched, and the chase lasted for several minutes. As the announcer can’t remember who fell first, let’s consider it an exhausted draw. On the walk back, an offwidth crack on the school building was contemplated in true buildering fashion; face-jams, three-fist-jams (one each from Vince, Max, and I), wiggling, and more were all attempted. Rainbows accompanied us back home.

8/20
We woke up at the house of Max’s grandparents in Silverthorne having driven up the night before. Max went out to fish in the river behind the house. Max didn’t catch anything, but Vince juggled rocks after he and I gave up on finding any flat enough to skip. We drove to Fulford Cave and entered through a section of corrugated pipe, following the most ridiculous looking map that had attempted to display a 3D cave system on a 2D surface. Waterfalls were found, narrow tunnels were wiggled through, and I, aided by Vince, quoted roughly half of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (and in the process discovered that Max had not seen the movies). I sang several songs in several sections of the cave, including "The Night We Met” in the largest cavern while all of the group’s lights had been turned off. The echo amidst the absolute darkness was magical.

However, that was not the only musical moment in the caves. Upon reaching the 'Sacrifice Slab’, the whole group danced to “The Ends of the Earth” following Vince’s artistic lead. Any and all Stanford dance instructors would have been 1/3rd impressed – Max and my performance should be described as minimally as possible. After some dubious route-finding through the ‘moonmilk caverns', we emerged from the cave into beautiful aspen trees and, as I proclaimed at least, the “most beautiful deproach ever experienced”. Scrubbing off one layer of dirt in a nearby creek, we went to meet my uncle for dinner in Eagle before returning to Silverthorne.

Continued...

I can’t understate how much I (and so many others) will miss Vince. Vince had such a tenacious creative spirit and was always working on something mind-blowingly cool. His relentless pursuit of creating cool things made him so inspiring to be around. He will be missed more than I can say.

Spending time with Vince was effortless - he had so many talents to share, stories to tell, and plans for adventures yet to be had. I’ll always remember the time he organized a roller skating group to zoom across campus with the traveling party Nomad. He socialized, danced, and chased down the motorized go-kart - all on roller blades. He was genuinely kind and always made me feel welcome - a remarkable feat given how much of our time together was spent doing things I’d never done before. I am so grateful for the four short months I knew him.

Vince is a legend

Mystical artist interested in everything and also doing everything. He inspires me and has since I met him

We’d go to the trampoline park together, he’d always get me in free. He’s always so curious how to do this trick or that, inventing new ones, comfortably challenging each other to see what we could do next. I remember thinking, I wish I had more friends like Vince, people who are ready to play, try new things, and encourage each other to do so.

Vince got me into trail running after a Santa Cruz king tide adventure. He would always invite me to come skate at Nomad. I’ll never forget when we jumped off the Stanford high dive.. I can’t imagine a more radical human and friend

He does it all, and is fully present in every experience. I’ve always had so much to learn from Vince and I’ll adventure in his honor.

And here are just a few snapshots of wonderful memories dancing with Vince:

Vince was such a beautiful soul and incredible Renaissance man, and I am so sad for his loss, not just for myself and all his friends and family, but for the world that won’t get to see the incredible art I know he would have continued to create, from his gorgeous wood sculptures, fashion design, dance, and feats of athleticism.

I first met Vince years ago in Chocolate Heads and was amazed at how he made roller skating an art form. We were all in awe of him, a chemistry PhD with so many talents that we’d learn about one by one like the layers of an onion. First he wore clothes and jewelry he’d made himself. Then he casually mentioned a wood sculpture he’d made was being shown, and several dancers went over to see it and our jaws hit the floor. I genuinely believe he would have been famous for his sculptures, so full of embodied emotion and movement and seemingly impossible to create.

I recently had the pleasure and honor of getting to collaborate on developing choreography inspired by the Rodin sculptures at Stanford, and seeing him and bouncing ideas off each other and just existing in a joyful, curious, embodied space together was always a highlight of my week. Almost anyone else would have balked at the lack of structure, the crazy ideas, but he just said let’s try it and always jumped in with ‘what if we tried this too’ and those dance jams were pure joy for me.

Vince was always creating magic with what ifs. What if I danced with a discarded street lamp globe in the dark? What if this fallen tree could be an incredible sculpture? What if I tried out of American Ninja Warrior? I never knew what he’d create next, but I always knew I’d love it.

I will miss you Vince, as an artistic collaborator, coolest person I knew, and friend.

Vince was was an amazing and one-of-a-kind person. I truly enjoyed our laughs and conversations about art and life together. One thing I will always remember is how Vince used to come by Kristen and mine’s apartment with the weirdest fruits that he had found along the California coast, which we ended up naming ‘fruit festivals.’ He was always so ready to share his adventures and was such a genuine person. Sending strength to the family and everyone who knew Vince. He will truly be missed.

Vince was a superhero.

Larger than life. He urgently, passionately, relentlessly shared wonder, color, dance, humor, brilliance, joy, curiosity, and compassion with all of us. I am finding it almost impossible to write about Vince in the past tense. He made the present moment so intensely infinite.

Midnight rooftop climbs, hot-tub trespassing, backflips at Rockin Jump trampoline park in San Carlos. Contact improv, dance, circus. Surprising you with a handmade earring or a hand-picked pomelo. Vince showed up for you—with style, unapologetic absurdity, dazzling spectacle, warmth, gentleness, care, and love. A superhuman heart.

Vince was a big part of inspiring me to study Chemical Engineering. (Will never forgive him for that one!) He also gave me tools to look at everyday things as more than everyday things. To Vince, every tree could be: a jungle gym, a carving medium, a source of seeds you could dry and bake into a chocolate bar, something to sit under with a good friend and a contemplate a question like: “What if we made roller skates for our hands and knees so we could skate around at ground level?”

Vince had a piercingly clear analysis of justice. He was an inspiration to all of us in how to treat everyone with dignity, and how to dance, carve, and dream towards a better world. Though I don’t know if he would have used these words, I personally think Vince’s vision for a more just and joyful future was both radical and revolutionary.

Just as he turned his PhD thesis defense into a space-themed costume party, I imagine he would want us all to be celebrating his memory in joyful community, together in all our unabashed weirdness and beauty.

Vince is now an astronaut booping around in space, skating around the rings of Saturn and making satellite-sized sculptures out of Cold War-era Soviet space junk.

I am so grateful to have been among those in his orbit here on Earth.

I am profoundly grateful to all of Vince’s family and friends who have organized this page.

I miss him so much. He would have been able to give a really great hug right now.

Last summer I had the privilege of going on an incredibly fun and endlessly silly backpacking trip with Lyd and Vince. Vince was the type of person who could make anyone laugh and made the adventure one I will cherish forever. Thank you for protecting us from the scary mouse in Lyd’s car and for all of the light you shared with the world. You are so missed and so loved, Vince.

Vince has always been inspiring to me. He is incredible in that he can be a great chemist, artist, and ninja warrior all at the same time. I remember seeing him carving wood on campus. I remember seeing him climbing trees around the chemistry building. I remember seeing him taking NMR and changing liquid helium. They all seem just happening yesterday. I still have his business card, which he dropped in the lab recently...RIP VInce.

Vince had such beautiful mind and heart. He loved the world with unabashed vigor and joy. I feel very lucky to have seen him shine.

RIP Vince. You're memory will be charished for ages to come.

This is truly tragic. I’m so sorry to hear this. It is a loss that’s hard to comprehend. I didn’t know Vince for a super long time, but it only took a few minutes of meeting him to know how unique of a person he was. Every time I saw him at rehearsal, I learned a new, completely surprising facet of his personality. He had more interests and passion for life in any given moment than most people could hope for across their lifetime. He was warm and inviting, with seemingly unending energy to give to everyone he interacted with at Chocolate Heads. We are lucky to have known him.

Sending you all love.

Judy

This is truly heart wrenching to hear.
It feels unreal to think that someone who seemed to always be around one way or another is gone.
I remember first joining chocolate heads and Vince being one of the first people I got to meet. Getting to learn how someone can be so multifaceted and so curious is something I’m grateful to have been exposed to. From dancing, to sculpting wood, to being in American Ninja Warrior three times, to working on his doctorate, Vince seemed to always be pursuing something. I was lucky to get to share in these experiences once in a while. Getting to learn how to be more ‘acrobatic’ in chocolate heads with him, him being one of my students in my ceramics class and sharing one of my passions, even getting together with other dancers and lab partners online to support him in his ninja warrior debut, all of these memories of his pursuit of happiness show his impact to those around him and the memories that he will live through. My sincerest condolences to his loved ones, and may he be remembered for the happiness that he shared.

Sincerely,
Journey

Wow. I met Vince my freshmen year while learning how to skate in Wilbur field in 2021. He was so friendly and taught me a few tricks. He told me about the exciting work he was doing with Chocolate heads and invited me to the first meeting just to see if it was for me.
Because of his openness and consideration, I was able to heal through dance that year and be a part of this wonderful community. This loss is a real shock. Vince continued to be a warm presence and friendly face throughout my four years at Stanford.

I can't imagine not seeing him around anymore, but I recognize that he has contributed an unending amount of love, kindness, and inspiration to everyone he has met, and it is our responsibility to continue that in his spirit.

Sending you all so much love, please reach out if you need any support or want to talk about grief.

Oh my goodness?!
I’m in complete shock!
Vince was someone I looked up to as an example of how to be alive as possible. He was so, so alive. He went for everything.
He sent me a very thoughtful compliment after our Riot performance released. I still think of it sometimes. This feels very unfair and I can’t believe it. I will send more memories shortly.

I learned about Vince's death yesterday from Aleta and I am still in disbelief and denial that this is real. I pulled out some videos on my phone of Vince making up a warm up for our Circus Arts Intensive two years ago, both of us laughing, dancing in the Roble Arts gym. It just doesn't seem real, a big stupid joke.

I've always considered Vince a great friend and a person I respect and admire deeply. He was very open, warm, funny and weird in the best possible definition of weirdness! Living life to the beat of his own drum! We shared a lot in college: always shared a laugh, shared a stage, shared doing workshops together, meals, jokes, practices! Campus wouldn't be campus for me without him roller skating around in his handmade clothes and jewelry smiling with that radiant smile he had. I remember working with him on Circus Arts Intensive and he was the best partner ever, making up and doing crazy ideas for our program - one of the biggest joys in my life. Jumping off sculptures, carving wood, climbing trees. How we sprinted on a cart holding frozen nitrogen stolen from Stanford lab to get to our circus crew and give them a nitrogen ice cream workshop. Vince laughed and drove! He just kept doing it! How he impressed an Australian director and everybody from the cast climbed off of him from a giant grid in front of thousands of people. He proved himself many times! He was a magnificent individual, a true Renaissance person, which is so RARE in this world. I've always thought that our lives would cross again, years after now and we would collaborate on some insane creative project. But he was also gentle and, despite being a superhuman he was, he was also a complex person, with his joys and struggles. In those moments of sincerity, I saw a big heart, longing for connection, warmth. It is terrible, truly terrible.

I am angry and mad at this tragedy. I looked up to Vince as a creative person, to his dedication, curiosity and his mad free spirit. The lost potential is soul crashing ! The world truly lost someone irreplaceable. I've never met anyone like him and I will never forget Vince.

I love everybody! Hug to all of you from overseas. Chocolate Head is always a Chocolate Head.

I first met Vince in the early days of the Covid pandemic, while Stanford's campus was almost completely shut down. Vince had just been accepted to compete on American Ninja Warrior season 13. I had competed in season 11, and somebody had told Vince he should talk to me to get the low-down. I recall being skeptical before meeting him. I had met other ANW aspirants from around Stanford, and my general impression was that they didn't usually have the chops to do well on "the Show," as people in that orbit call it.

My skepticism quickly turned to surprise and respect. In our first in-person meeting, I showed Vince a variety of obstacles around campus I had concocted for training–swinging, jumping, and climbing across the abandoned buildings. I thought of many of them as fairly challenging, but Vince passed through them all easily. As we sat at the back side of Windover (a bizarre art-gallery like edifice near Lake Lagunita), I recall nodding my head and saying something like, "You could do well on the Show. You could make finals for sure."

I was right. During three subsequent seasons of ANW Vince did very well, making it to the National Finals in his most recent appearance. He and I did a lot of training and adventuring together following that first meeting. We frequented climbing and ninja gyms, and I watched him go from strength to strength in both sports. We discovered the joys of hitting the local trampoline park early in the day before schools get out, when you can have the entire place to yourself. We experimented with parkour, and for a time ran a TikTok account of our escapades around campus. Vince was my most steadfast and capable adventure partner, always willing to try something new.

I got to know the rest of Vince from our car rides together to the aforementioned outings. As everyone who knows him well can attest, Vince is an extremely multifaceted character. His day job was as a chemistry Ph.D. student, but he rarely had time to talk much about that. He had too many other things to tell you. He danced with the Chocolate Heads troupe and composed videos of his own solo choreography. He made his own clothes and jewelry out of any and every material you can imagine (e.g. old curtains, wood, abalone shell). He was fascinated by anatomy and by dendrology (the study of trees), as well as sustainability-adjacent fields. And most of all he loved to carve.

I did not appreciate the significance of carving to Vince until long into our friendship. In his own words, carving was the most important of his many passions. It was the one thing he never tired of, the one thing which perpetually kept him grounded. It was what brought him through his darkest times. And in the year after finishing his Ph.D. work it had been his main focus.

I did not appreciate the significance of carving to Vince because to me he seemed so intensely focused on athletics. But I suppose his friends from the dance world would also be surprised to know that dance was not his primary passion. Vince had a special capacity to wear many hats simultaneously. I think part of his secret was that he only slept about six hours each night. I valued his patience as I sluggishly dragged myself out on many mornings to embark on some wild shenanigans.

One could often find Vince carving at a cluster of picnic tables near EVGR B in the early morning, before it got too hot. He made many friends of people who stopped to inquire what he was doing. He kept an assortment of wood pieces nearby, an eclectic mix from many trees and shrubs of far reaches of the world which he collected on his travels. Many of his intricate sculptures featured dozens of sources of wood.

His favorite of his own artworks was called Pabulum. It depicted a child kneeling with cupped hands to draw water. The piece was an outgrowth of work Vince did with the prison outreach program Prison Renaissance. The sculpture required wood from 56 logs and (as I recall) about of year of careful artisanship. Children feature prominently in other of Vince's works. The morning after I heard about Vince's death, I opened a Bible at random and immediately came upon Matthew 18:3-4:
And he [Jesus] said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Vince was child-like in his humility, in his wonder, and in his love for all people and all creation. His is a life that was full to the brim, a life we can aspire to. He has carved eternal impressions upon all of our hearts.