In Memoriam - "Cabeza de Fuego"

I just found out recently that a good friend of mine from high school was one of the passengers in the plane that crashed down in southern Utah, killing ten. Here's a link to the news story on ksl.com.

I got to know Keith Shumway really well in high school because we did track together. We had a tight knit group of friends on the team. We spent a lot of time together and knew each other really well, even keeping in touch off and on after high school. All my memories of Keith are from our four years in school.

We all used to tease Keith about his red hair, and gave him the nickname "Cabeza de Fuego." Jamie, Kristen, and I even had a little Mexican dance we did to go along with the nickname. He was a pretty good sport about all the teasing we did. I remember learning that he filed his fingernails. I teased him about that too. He defended himself by saying he only used the file that was attached to the nail clippers.

I also remember that he was what we called "touchy-feely." I think Jamie, and maybe Kristen, know more about that side of Keith than I do.

One time on the way back to Kanosh late at night, Keith fell asleep at the wheel and hit a cow. Or maybe he just rolled off the road? I don't remember many details, but he ended up being all right. I don't think he went to the hospital or anything. I don't think that was the only time he fell asleep while driving.

The girls track team wrote songs for some of the more "important" boys in the team. We took popular Disney songs and changed the words to match the boy the song was about. This was spear-headed by Andrea Nixon, and all us girls participated. I don't know if I remember all the words to Keith's song, but I'll give it a shot.

(to the tune of "I Just Can't Wait to be King" from the Lion King)
I'm gonna be a mighty Keith
So enemies beware,
(Well I've never seen a distance man with quite so red of hair!)
I'm gonna win the main events
Like no Keith has before,
I'm workin' out, I'm bulkin' up, I'm workin' on my FORM!
Oh, I just can't wait - to take state!
*That last line was sometimes substituted to "Oh I just can't wait - to beat Chad!" because of the slight rivalry between the two distance runners.

There may have been a second verse. I don't remember.

During our senior year, we had an indoor track club. Those of us on the indoor team developed a close relationship, especially after our long trip to Pocatello to compete in the Simplot Games. I think we made Keith sit in the front passenger seat of my dad's (our track coach) mini-van.

Keith was a really great friend and a good person all-around. He was a hard worker. He pushed himself. I remember watching him run his distance races, and it seemed like he always started out way too fast. He would be far out in the lead at the beginning of the race, and not be able to keep it up at the end.

The last contact I had from Keith was an email he sent out announcing the birth of his first child. His baby boy was born in May, near the time when Keith graduated with his degree in Chemistry. He was in the process of applying for medical school.

We'll miss you Keith. My heart goes out to his wife and baby.

Trip to southern Utah for the Dixie Invitational

The Seniors on the team - Class of 2000, after winning Region

Keith volunteering at the Special Olympics

Here we are at a celebration in Kanosh. Keith was proud of being from Kanosh.