TORONTO — Ben Wilder and Eric Hildebrand were good friends. They attended the same private school together, played on the same soccer and basketball teams together, and Eric admired Ben’s skill at tennis.
Their bar mitzvahs were scheduled one week apart, but before they could celebrate each other’s coming of age, Ben was unexpectedly struck by a fatal illness and died.
To honour his friend and create a lasting legacy, Eric asked guests at his bar mitzvah to make a contribution to the Israel Tennis Centers (ITC) Foundation in Ben’s name.
“In lieu of bar mitzvah gifts, please make a donation to the Ben Wilder Fund and honour Ben’s life by helping kids in Israel,” Eric said in a note to guests.
Nearly $12,000 has been turned over to the ITC Foundation, which has earmarked the funds and other moneys yet to be raised toward the naming of a tennis court in Israel in Wilder’s name.
Altogether, $100,000 needs to be raised to name the court, and Rosner believes the goal will be reached later this year. Late last month, the ITC added another $10,000, provided by local donors, towards the project.
Ben, who at 12 won an under-18 tournament at York Racquets Club, had just completed Grade 7 at the Sterling Hall School when he died. In a message to parents and students, principal Rick Parsons recalled him as “a warm, kind, active and charismatic young man who will be dearly missed.”
Students at the school compiled their own list of things “our friend, Ben Wilder, showed us.”
Among the lessons learned were: to look at things from new perspectives; to be self-motivated; to look at the glass as half-full; to make the best of any situation; to make other people feel important; to be yourself; to never give up; to appreciate the value of positive energy, hard work and perseverance; and to get things done to the best of one’s ability.
Elyse Hildebrand, Eric’s mother, recalled Ben as mature beyond his years, with clear leadership qualities. “He was smart, mature, funny. He was very inclusive, he made everyone feel welcome,” she said.
She recalled how much Ben and Eric enjoyed playing on the school basketball team together, and travelling to Vancouver for a tournament.
When the family was planning Eric’s bar mitzvah, they wanted to find something connected to Israel to honour Ben. “Eric kept saying, ‘I want to do something with tennis,’” she said.
Ben loved tennis, and “he was really good. He had a really wicked serve,” Eric said.
Off the court, “Ben was really funny. He was really nice to everyone.”
Naming the Israeli tennis court “will help Israel and help the good memory of my friend, Ben,” he added.
ITC was established in 1976. It operates 14 tennis centres across Israel, providing instruction and competition to Israelis of all backgrounds, including more than 400,000 children. The ITC is known for providing a structured and nurturing environment, benefiting many youngsters in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Donations to the Ben Wilder Memorial Fund can be made online at, http://www.israeltenniscenters.org/benwilder.
