Who is Caitlin Lehmann? Simply put, a hero.
By Cienne Keegan and Erin Stutz
Born in 1982, Caitlin became a member of Cougar Aquatic Team around 1994. She began her high school swimming career at Immaculate Heart Academy in 1997, and then transferred to Montclair Kimberley Academy where she completed her Junior and Senior years. No matter what team she joined, the level of her passion, dedication, and commitment was unchanging and contagious. The same is true of her life outside of swimming; you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who missed out on her positive influences.
Lehmann, as she was called by her teammates, had a way of easing intense situations, whether it was a seemingly impossible workout, a teammate in a bad mood, or a high-pressure meet. She could be standing behind the block as anchor of a make-or-break, down-to-the-last-stroke relay, cool as a cucumber. She'd turn to her teammates, tell a joke, then dive in to finish and win the relay before everyone could stop laughing. If you were in a bad mood, she could change that by "busting on you" with witty comments. If she got you particularly well, you could consider yourself "housed." One of the most fun things about Lehmann was that she could take a joke just as well as she could dish it out.
It always seemed that no matter how negative a situation might seem, swimming-related or not, Caitlin always found something positive to focus on. When she was diagnosed with synovial cell sarcoma in the winter of 2001, she chose to focus on continuing to do the things she loved while fighting this new battle as hard as she could. Caitlin battled for nearly a year and a half, passing away in July of 2002. She never lost her battle- she still lived her life to the fullest and stayed strong all the way through. And THAT is what makes her a hero.
Born in 1982, Caitlin became a member of Cougar Aquatic Team around 1994. She began her high school swimming career at Immaculate Heart Academy in 1997, and then transferred to Montclair Kimberley Academy where she completed her Junior and Senior years. No matter what team she joined, the level of her passion, dedication, and commitment was unchanging and contagious. The same is true of her life outside of swimming; you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who missed out on her positive influences.
Lehmann, as she was called by her teammates, had a way of easing intense situations, whether it was a seemingly impossible workout, a teammate in a bad mood, or a high-pressure meet. She could be standing behind the block as anchor of a make-or-break, down-to-the-last-stroke relay, cool as a cucumber. She'd turn to her teammates, tell a joke, then dive in to finish and win the relay before everyone could stop laughing. If you were in a bad mood, she could change that by "busting on you" with witty comments. If she got you particularly well, you could consider yourself "housed." One of the most fun things about Lehmann was that she could take a joke just as well as she could dish it out.
It always seemed that no matter how negative a situation might seem, swimming-related or not, Caitlin always found something positive to focus on. When she was diagnosed with synovial cell sarcoma in the winter of 2001, she chose to focus on continuing to do the things she loved while fighting this new battle as hard as she could. Caitlin battled for nearly a year and a half, passing away in July of 2002. She never lost her battle- she still lived her life to the fullest and stayed strong all the way through. And THAT is what makes her a hero.
Caitlin -
by (Uncle) Bill Ostrowski
Caitlin fought this terrible disease for almost a year and a half. When you look back at this time, you begin to realize that she beat the disease. She won the fight. I know right now Caitlin is upstairs with a big smile on her face saying, "Don't be sad for me - I am at peace". She won the fight because she never let the disease get the best of her, she only changed for the better, and she never stopped being Caitlin.
It was less than 2 weeks ago; Caitlin was down the shore in Seaside Heights. Down there they have this ride called the Tower-Of-Fear. In this ride, you are strapped in a chair with your legs dangling. All of a sudden it shoots you straight up like a rocket about 300 feet in the air. Then you stop for a few seconds and look out over the ocean. Next, it drops you down like a bungee jumper. It's a crazy ride. Caitlin was sick, and tired, and week, but she went on it anyway.
Or a few months back when she walked into the doctor's office. The doctor put her right into the hospital when he realized her lung was collapsed. He said he wouldn't have believed anyone could be walking around in that condition if he hadn't seen it for himself. Well, I believe it; she wouldn't give in.
Or last year when the chemotherapy took all her hair. She made jokes about it to make other people more comfortable.
The point is: the disease didn't make her weak; it made her strong!
She was one tough kid. Rich, you said it best the other night when you were talking about how tough she was. I wish I could repeat it, but your language was a bit too spicy to use here in the church. But you were right.
She was strong.
She never complained.
She didn't ask 'why me'.
She never stopped being sweet and polite.
So, what do we get for all this grief and pain? If you think about it, you realize we get a lot.
We get the comfort of knowing Caitlin is now at peace; and she doesn't have to fight anymore.
JoAnne & Rich, thanks for teaching us about compassion; and how we should be as parents. Jeanne, thanks for teaching us about being uplifting; and how to be a sister and a friend. Grandma O, thanks for teaching us what it means to be there when it counts; and how to be supportive.
Caitlin, thanks for teaching us about class, dignity, and strength.
You guys are great and we love you!
Caitlin fought this terrible disease for almost a year and a half. When you look back at this time, you begin to realize that she beat the disease. She won the fight. I know right now Caitlin is upstairs with a big smile on her face saying, "Don't be sad for me - I am at peace". She won the fight because she never let the disease get the best of her, she only changed for the better, and she never stopped being Caitlin.
It was less than 2 weeks ago; Caitlin was down the shore in Seaside Heights. Down there they have this ride called the Tower-Of-Fear. In this ride, you are strapped in a chair with your legs dangling. All of a sudden it shoots you straight up like a rocket about 300 feet in the air. Then you stop for a few seconds and look out over the ocean. Next, it drops you down like a bungee jumper. It's a crazy ride. Caitlin was sick, and tired, and week, but she went on it anyway.
Or a few months back when she walked into the doctor's office. The doctor put her right into the hospital when he realized her lung was collapsed. He said he wouldn't have believed anyone could be walking around in that condition if he hadn't seen it for himself. Well, I believe it; she wouldn't give in.
Or last year when the chemotherapy took all her hair. She made jokes about it to make other people more comfortable.
The point is: the disease didn't make her weak; it made her strong!
She was one tough kid. Rich, you said it best the other night when you were talking about how tough she was. I wish I could repeat it, but your language was a bit too spicy to use here in the church. But you were right.
She was strong.
She never complained.
She didn't ask 'why me'.
She never stopped being sweet and polite.
So, what do we get for all this grief and pain? If you think about it, you realize we get a lot.
We get the comfort of knowing Caitlin is now at peace; and she doesn't have to fight anymore.
JoAnne & Rich, thanks for teaching us about compassion; and how we should be as parents. Jeanne, thanks for teaching us about being uplifting; and how to be a sister and a friend. Grandma O, thanks for teaching us what it means to be there when it counts; and how to be supportive.
Caitlin, thanks for teaching us about class, dignity, and strength.
You guys are great and we love you!
By Mark Snensky - former Head Coach Bishop Ahr girls' swimming
Dear Lehmann Family,
I would like to express my sincerest sympathy to you and all of the friends, and “enemies”, of Caitlin. I, unfortunately, would be considered one of those so-called enemies, but I don't see it that way. I must say I had the utmost respect for Caitlin for as long as I knew of her, and even more so after the epic meet in early 1998 when she struck the killer blow against my Bishop Ahr girls.
I can remember every minute detail of that entire '97-'98 season – following all of the high school results, watching Caitlin and all of her teammates at every opportunity at USS meets, all in the hope of breaking IHA's remarkable streak of State Championships. To this day I pour over the results and always come to the same conclusion – we should have won. But I'll be damned if I can't admit that Caitlin was the driving force behind IHA's come from behind victory. If I had to, I could draw every inch of that 100 free race from memory – none of that race will ever leave me. It is just another testament to what she stood for as a person, as I have heard and read since her passing. My father passed away shortly after that meet and things have never been quite the same for me, as for you all I am sure. However, memories do last forever, and I personally will always and forever remember Caitlin as the most worthy of competitors even if, unfortunately, I never really knew her as a person.
Please, may the Lord's peace be with you, and especially with Caitlin. She will be fondly remembered by me always, despite her role in Bishop Ahr's demise. A greater swimmer could not have shone more brightly at a greater meet than she did at that one. On behalf of myself and the girls of the '97-'98 BGA swim team, God bless.
I would like to express my sincerest sympathy to you and all of the friends, and “enemies”, of Caitlin. I, unfortunately, would be considered one of those so-called enemies, but I don't see it that way. I must say I had the utmost respect for Caitlin for as long as I knew of her, and even more so after the epic meet in early 1998 when she struck the killer blow against my Bishop Ahr girls.
I can remember every minute detail of that entire '97-'98 season – following all of the high school results, watching Caitlin and all of her teammates at every opportunity at USS meets, all in the hope of breaking IHA's remarkable streak of State Championships. To this day I pour over the results and always come to the same conclusion – we should have won. But I'll be damned if I can't admit that Caitlin was the driving force behind IHA's come from behind victory. If I had to, I could draw every inch of that 100 free race from memory – none of that race will ever leave me. It is just another testament to what she stood for as a person, as I have heard and read since her passing. My father passed away shortly after that meet and things have never been quite the same for me, as for you all I am sure. However, memories do last forever, and I personally will always and forever remember Caitlin as the most worthy of competitors even if, unfortunately, I never really knew her as a person.
Please, may the Lord's peace be with you, and especially with Caitlin. She will be fondly remembered by me always, despite her role in Bishop Ahr's demise. A greater swimmer could not have shone more brightly at a greater meet than she did at that one. On behalf of myself and the girls of the '97-'98 BGA swim team, God bless.