Dylan Wells Humphrey

HUMPHREY, DYLAN WELLS, Dylan was born May 31, 1976, in Honolulu. As an infant, he moved with his family to Rhode Island, where he grew up on a small farm and graduated from South Kingstown High School in 1994. He loved school and always strove for excellence in his studies. He played on soccer and basketball teams throughout his youth and was a captain of his high school's first interscholastic volleyball team. He continued his education at Swarthmore College (PA), where he worked as their computer dispatch manager, facilitated the organization of a men's volleyball team and graduated with a degree in engineering in 1998. Dylan developed multiple sclerosis while in college, but enjoyed a brief career in Silicon Valley before his condition progressed to a point where he could no longer work or live on his own. He moved back home to RI and continued to find joy through his computer, friends, movies, the Red Sox and the Dare to Dream MS Support Group. In 2006, he moved to Tucson with his parents and tried to become a Diamondbacks fan, but never succeeded. His MS, which was severe from the start, advanced rapidly over the past year and took his life on October 17, 2008, a few hours after the Red Sox big come-back win against the Rays. He died at home, peacefully and without pain. Dylan is survived by his parents, Alan and Jane Humphrey of Tucson, and by five siblings, Ross of West Kingston, RI, Bridget (Colleen) of Seattle, Alan, Jr. (Eleanor) of Seattle, Robert (Diane) of San Mateo, and Gwendolyn (Robert) Corley of Winchester, VA. He leaves behind nieces and nephews, Maggie, Alida, Gary and Matthew, and also the wonderful relatives who raised his mother after her parents died and who became loving grandparents to him, Peggy and Ed Alberg of Minnetonka, MN. Dylan will be missed by many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Special mention must be made of Dylan's friends who stayed with him throughout his life: Scott Budnick, Salinda Daley and Billy Palm made special efforts to add joy to his life and understood that, despite his disability, Dylan was still Dylan. Thank you to all who have supported our family throughout Dylan's disease. Special thanks to Bayada Nurses and to TMC Hospice for helping us through the final days. There will be no formal service. A family celebration of Dylan's life is planned for a later date. Memorial donations can be made to Southern Arizona Association for the Visually Impaired (3767 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716), Turning Pointe Therapeutic Riding (40 Collins Road, Ashaway, RI 02804) or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (www.nmss.org).