Brett Douglas Kittle

When I met Brett the first time, it was at Ohio State´s ice arena in 7th grade when we found out we were going to be teammates on the Columbus Capitals. We became fast friends, even though we went to rival middle schools. We travelled all around Ohio, staying at dodgy motels from Kettering to Findlay to Euclid, and killing time between games watching movies with our teammates, listening to music on our headphones, comparing notes on the girls at our schools, terrorizing local restaurants, and perfecting our teen antics.

Brett was a reliable partner and loyal friend, on and off the ice, all the way through high school and into college. Brett had a style and presence that I looked up to. He was always plugged into the latest music and read Rolling Stone religiously. He was well put together, and I admired how he kept his gold Honda Accord hatch extra clean and in mint condition. Brett exuded class, and I always knew that he would be ready to see the world. I lost touch with Brett over the years, but reconnected with him a few years back, and was struck by how easy it was to pick up where we left off. That´s a mark of a true friend. Brett was a uniquely special guy, and I will sorely miss him.

Though time and distance eventually separated our paths, Brett was a dear friend during our Middle School years in Upper Arlington. I'll never forget the time we bleached our hair at my house, only to face the wrath of my Mom immediately afterward! We were quite the team, even going so far as to exchange shoes so we could each sport mismatched Chuck Taylors. Every time a Jane's Addiction song comes on, it takes me right back to those days hanging out with Brett

Brett was a wonderful person and a true friend during a pivotal time in our lives. I deeply regret not making the effort to visit him in Vegas as I live about 5 hours away in San Diego. While we recently reconnected via text, we hadn't finalized plans to catch up. My heartfelt condolences to his wife, son (whom I've heard so much about), and his extended family. Brett will be deeply missed. He was truly one of a kind.