Lt. Commander Edgar Turley "Trey" Higgins III

1967 - 2016

Lt. Commander Edgar Turley (Trey) Higgins, III

Raleigh

If we are lucky enough in life, we may meet someone who is willing to give everything and yet ask for nothing in return. Or, meet a person whose talent or achievement inspire and make us grow. Or, know a person who made us feel like we were the only one in the room when we're talking to them. Those who knew Trey Higgins will tell you that he was all of those things and so much more. There are some one-of-a-kind people in this world and then there was Trey. He was truly in a class of his own and in the best of ways. He lived his life with the intensity of a meteor that has just entered the atmosphere. If you are reading this and knew him, you are smiling in recognition of this truth.

After packing more activity, more travel, more love and more adventures than three people combined can normally fit into a very long lifespan, Trey left us at the relatively young age of 48 following a hang-gliding accident near Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Trey died doing something that he loved, for hang-gliding had become one of his foremost passions in recent years. He shared a fond memory of once flying in a thermal with an eagle, an experience that brought tears to his eyes.

Trey was born on February 23, 1967 and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina where he attended Charlotte Latin School. He was a devoted volunteer at the Carolina Raptor Center and was a member of the Sierra Club. He graduated from the Blue Ridge School in St. George, VA, '86, where he was Head Prefect, scholar, star athlete and leader. He was awarded several academic honors at graduation. A natural athlete, he was a state champion in cross country and track in both NC and VA. Trey attended Western Carolina University and was a raft guide for High Country Adventures on the Ocoee River in TN during his college years. He introduced thousands of souls to the wonders of the Ocoee. His fun-loving and adventurous hijinks, both on and off the river - as well as his skill as a paddler - remain the stuff of legend to this day.

Trey developed an interest in flight from his dad, Turley. After college, Trey entered the US Navy as a Naval Aviation Cadet (NAVCAD). He graduated from Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL in 1990 and went on to fly the Navy's hottest aircraft: the A-4 "Skyhawk", A-6 "Intruder", F-14 "Tomcat" and F-5 "Tiger" to name a few. Known as "Sting" and after travelling the world as a carrier-based attack and fighter pilot, he ended his 13+ year Navy career as a TOPGUN Adversary Instructor at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, NV Fiercely patriotic, Trey's dedication to his country knew no bounds.

Besides being an outstanding Naval Officer and Aviator, Trey was very much a Renaissance Man. He was a writer, a poet, an artist and a musician. He wrote music and played guitar like no other. He wrote beautifully personal letters - the kind you saved because they were so colorful and made you feel good about life and about yourself. His athleticism took him on 100-600 mile bicycle trips in the mountains and across North Carolina. He hiked all over this earth and ran marathons. He took trips on his motorcycle through the desert and owned several crotch-rocket motorcycles. To Trey, a speed limit was not a two-digit number posted on a sign, but the point at which the speedometer of the machine refused to increase any further. He was a searcher, always curious and always wanting to know what was around the next bend in the road, over the top of the next hill or on the other side of that cloud he was flying towards. He was an expert kayaker, skydiver, SCUBA diver and hang-glider enthusiast.

Despite his wanderlust, the thing that Trey treasured most in his life was the deep relationships he developed with his large circle of friends and family, all loved. Keeping these relationships fresh was vitally important to him and he would fly his beloved Lancair 320 airplane, his "little rocket", all over the country to do so. His friends shared their thoughts, saying: "He would look at you with those blue eyes like you were the only person that mattered at that point in time and had his full attention. He was the epitome of the meaning of true friend." "He taught us fulfillment in life, loyalty and never to hate, saying, 'Hate is a strong word.' " "He had a passion for life and a unique way of squeezing every drop out of the opportunities that life presented." "He was present for every person he touched." "He showed us all how to be real and fearless and humane and kind." He followed the wisdom of Yoda. "Try not. Do or do not. There is no try. Luminous beings are we... not this crude matter."

Trey was a good man, a complex man. He was the consummate life liver and had a zest for life like no other. From the age of two, he preferred to live "on the edge". Genuine and selfless, he brought a bright light into the lives of others. He was a wild child with a big, memorable laugh and was a patriot who served his country honorably. He loved fiercely and lived his truth. But, most of all, time and distance never separated him from family and myriad friends. The man, myth and legend pushed everyone to imagine a world outside of their dull boxes, to push their limits to actually live life. He said, "You just need to evaluate what your desires are, then set off in pursuit of your goal and never give up. If you let fear dictate your actions, you're going to miss out on 80 percent of your life, maybe more. Never give up." He always left saying, "Love you, brother." Although the world is a lesser place without our Trey, he leaves behind a legacy of achievement and love that will inspire the thousands of people he touched for the rest of their lives.

He is survived by his mother, Arleen Clark Higgins, Raleigh, NC. Father, Edgar Turley Higgins, Jr. (Mary Patton Love), Rock Hill, SC. Sister, Elizabeth "Liza" Higgins McSwain (Derrick), Atlanta, GA and Sautee, GA. Niece, Anna B. Purcell, Atlanta, GA and Wellesley, MA. Aunt, Harriet Higgins Warren (Edus), Atlanta, GA and Sautee, GA. Uncle, Jon Barry Clark, Dillsboro, NC. And cousins, Jon Clark and Lindsey Clark.

Trey was predeceased by his grandparents, Edgar T. Higgins, Sr. and Allene McCoy Higgins (Granddaddy and GaGa), Summit, NJ. J.B. Clark and Eva Hayes Clark (BaBa), Charlotte, NC. And his cousin, Jeffrey Vernon Hayes Clark, Alexandria, VA.

Celebrations of Trey's Life were held in Sautee-Nacoochee, GA. and in Raleigh, NC. Friends and family will gather together again in the Fall of 2016 in Robbinsville, NC and on the Ocoee River to return him to his beloved river.

Memorials to honor Trey may be made to: The Partners of Joyce Kilmer/Slickrock Wilderness, PO Box 984, Robbinsville, NC 28771. Or to: The Blue Ridge School Chapel Organ Fund, St. George, VA 22935 (dedicated to Trey's memory). Or to: The Tailhook Educational Foundation (TEF). Tax-deductible donations to the TEF fund college scholarships for qualifying children of US Navy and Marine Corps Aviators. To donate, go to: http://www.tailhook.net/A_Founda tion_Index.html

"I am fortunate to dwell in a reality that was once a powerful dream. Love you, brother." Trey

"NOTHING HERE IS PROMISED, NOT ONE DAY" Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton)

NONE OF US KNOW HOW LONG THE THINGS WE LOVE WILL LAST.Unknown