Edward Walter Kloth, BHS 2011

Edward Walter Kloth, BHS 2011

Eddie Kloth11 still inspires

From the 2011 BHS yearbook written by the Journalism Staff

He was first diagnosed with leukemia in his sophomore year. It was a roller coaster ride after that for  Edward Walter Kloth aka Eddie, a ride that finally ended on September 28, 2010 in Arizona with his family. For three years, Kloth would endure rounds of treatments achieving periods of remission but then the cancer would return and he would resume treatments. Even so, everyone who knew Kloth can tell you he was determined to not let cancer rule his life. Kloth fought hard to stay in school and attend regular classes. It is that level of “care” that we will always cherish about Kloth.

Everything Kloth did was a demonstration of an extraordinary determination to achieve his goals. Even when Kloth was going through chemotherapy, he maintained his grades, once even scoring the highest grade on an AP Chemistry test. This and his charm may have been the secrets to his success. Arthur Kubko, a friend, explained, “Eddie was accepting of everyone and their flaws. He was a smart guy. I remember he would only come to school once a week because of chemo and I would be there for the entire week and he would still get a higher grade than me! He will always be remembered for his humor and cleverness. Always calm and peaceful, especially among all the guys.”

He was also a member of the boys’ tennis team; he played doubles with James Hong. Once Coach Carlos Pelayo, one of the tennis coaches, said, “I think James and Eddie work so well together because they’re both quiet people. It’s like they read each other’s minds.” Although he was only able to play for one season, he was part of the “tennis rats of Burbank” crew. Chemotherapy usually slows patients down, but Kloth would always go out to the courts after his therapy and play until 10 p.m. when the lights would go out.

If Kloth was not on the courts, he and his friends would be doing “typical guy stuff” as Kubko said, “I remember we played a lot of ping pong at James’s house or just hung out at the mall. And, when he got his license, we went out more to places like Roscoe’s [Chicken and Waffles],” said Kubko.

Kloth was also a strong writer and had emailed Journalism Advisor Anne Burnett that he would be joining the journalism staff officially when school started but unfortunately, he was not able to return for his senior year. Academic Decathlon Coach Val Beidelman was also looking forward to seeing Kloth again. She said that even while he was undergoing chemotherapy treatments, “Eddie would still show up for decathlon practice and try to maintain his position on the team. It is courage, maturity, compassion and daring that Kloth showed as he fought a valiant fight that continues to inspire.

Kloth used to tell his friends that cancer gave him a new perspective on life. He said he didn’t get bothered by small things anymore. He said it was as if “God gave me a special pair of glasses to look through."