Loss in Our Camp Community- A Letter From Logan

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share the loss of one of our beloved camp counselors, Daniel Eatchel.

Daniel had been struggling with serious mental health challenges, which prevented him and me from attending summer camp this year. On Thursday, July 31st, he died by suicide.

Daniel was a cherished member of the La Foret family for seven years. His dedication to the well-being and spiritual growth of the youth in our programs was both passionate and sincere. As many of you know, I was in a relationship with Daniel for two years, and I know how deeply he loved this community. One of the things that guided him was a sign he saw in his twenties that read: “Be the adult you needed as a kid.” That became a driving force for him.

He lived by that message. Daniel had an extraordinary gift for connecting with young people who didn’t feel like they fit in. He saw the light in each person and helped them believe in it, too. He saved every single “warm and fuzzy” note he received from campers and counselors over the years—little notes of affirmation and love. After every event we worked together, we would read them aloud as part of a gratitude ritual, and it would bring him to tears every time. He was so deeply moved by the love he received, even if he struggled to hold onto it in his darkest moments.

He will be so, so missed. A small memorial for Daniel will be held at La Foret for those in the camp community to mourn his loss and support one another through it. Details will be announced when a date is set.

If you would like to help Daniel's family in this difficult time, please consider their mealtrain: https://mealtrain.com/835zln

I want to take this moment to remind each of you: you are deeply loved and valued by this community—every bit as much as Daniel was. I wish he had reached out during his hardest moments. I wish he had let us remind him how beautiful, valuable, and loved he truly was.

If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts or substance abuse—as many of us do at some point—please know that you are not alone. Reach out to a friend, a trusted family member, or call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You are not a burden. You are a gift to this world, and you are here for a reason. Hard times don’t last forever. Every burden becomes lighter the moment you share it with someone else.

And if you ever wonder whether someone would want to support you, just think about how strongly you would want to show up for them. Give your loved ones the opportunity to do the same for you. All you have to do is ask.

With deep grief and love,

Logan