In Memory of Ben Gutenberg

Ben Gutenberg joined the Rochester Fencing Center at age eleven. He was passionate about fencing from the beginning, and loved training, competing in tournaments, and socializing with the many friends he made at RFC. Ben was friendly with everyone, and was called "Benji" (Ben G.) to differentiate him from another fencer with the same first name.

Ben graduated with honors from McQuaid Jesuit High School in the spring of 2007, and in the fall entered the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. On November 10, 2007, Ben left with his William and Mary fencing club teammates for a tournament in Philadelphia. Near Richmond, VA, the car he was traveling in left the highway at high speed and crashed into a tree. Ben survived this horrible crash but in very critical condition. He remained unconscious for two and one-half weeks before passing away on November 27, 2007. As Ben would have wished, his organs and tissues were made available for transplant.

Were he here today, Ben would be full of encouragement for these young fencers. His message would be simple. "Do your best and have fun."

Learn more about Ben and his life at BenGutenberg.com