The Patron Saint of Burnside
Essays, Featured — By Jordan Green on December 20, 2009 at 3:47 pm
David Gentiles, father of Hannah, Calla and Ariele, passed away Friday in Austin, Texas. He was badly injured in a weightlifting accident, and held on long enough for his daughters to reach his side.
David’s name should be familiar to fans of Donald Miller. He was Don’s youth leader growing up. Blue Like Jazz is dedicated to him. He is a major figure in To Own a Dragon because, well, he was an important father figure to Don. As Don writes in one of Dragon‘s best chapters, when he was young he could’ve been swept away by equal currents.
“I could’ve ended up in prison – first breaking into houses, then falling in with the wrong crowd, then drugs, and so on and so on. A statistic. David Gentiles was the person who threw out a rope.”
Then there’s this bit in Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, one of the my favorite things Don ever wrote.
Don is talking about the death of his Uncle Art. He says:
“I knew he wouldn’t die because his life was like the roots of a tree that went miles into the soil and miles around its trunk and came up in my cousins, in their faces and their voices and their character. I didn’t think you could kill a tree that big. Not even God could kill a tree that big.”
There are a few people I’ve met in my life I see this way, as men and women who truly deserve the hyperbole of a funeral speech.
One of those people is David Gentiles.
David’s roots run far past Don and his family, and into incredible people all over the US. I had the privilege of meeting David Gentiles twice: once at a BBQ joint in Waco, Texas, and once in Portland, when he helped his daughter Ariele move. We’ve emailed occasionally since those times, but that’s it. I told Don this. “That’s all it takes,” he said. David made me feel like he’d pull a mountain down piece by piece if I needed it. Like I said, I met him face-to-face twice. I knew him more through the stories Don told me, or the stories Ricky and Ran Jackson of The Daylights told me, or Randy Williams. I knew him best through Ariele, his daughter, who is the poetry editor here at Burnside, and who is one of my favorite human beings in the world. In fact, one of my favorite pieces we’ve ever published on Burnside was a piece Ariele wrote about her father.
There are comforts in times like this. We know David is home at last, and we know he met his Savior and heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
But even that doesn’t always help. We also know the world is worse off for having lost such a great man. We know he could’ve taught us so much more. Shortly before my daughter was born, I figured I would ask David about fatherhood. He raised three wonderful women on his own, after all. “Not sure I have any wisdom to share,” he wrote back, “but I’ll be glad to tell you about all of my mistakes.”
I wish I’d pressed him more right away, but I figured I had time. We always figure we have time. Now, selfishly, I feel like I lost the Library of Alexandria.
From everyone here at Burnside, our hearts and prayers go out to Ariele and her sisters, and all the men and women who knew and loved David.
We will miss you until we see you again, David. We wish you were here with us, but we’re thankful you are finally home.
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For more on David Gentiles, read his biography and blog. Also, seriously, read Ariele’s article.
14 Comments
God rest his soul.
thanks for this, jordan. love love love love.
Amen.
rest in peace
I am saddened by this. I don’t know him, but when I first read in Dragon how he took Miller under his wing, I immediately knew there was something special about him. I am praying for the family and friends, but also praying that God will send more like him.
Sometimes people ask me if writing my father’s story brought me closure. I know what they mean but the only response I can think to give them is, “At what age should a girl get over the death of a much-adored father? I don’t miss him less with the passing of years, I’m only more aware of all the life he’s missed.”
Thank you for this beautiful tribute Jordan. While it’s wonderful to know that David is in the presence of God, it’s heartbreaking to know how much his family and friends will miss him in the hours, weeks, and years to come.
I am so, so sorry to read this and am praying for Ariele and her family.
Along with Jordan I would encourage reading, or rereading Ariele’s article about her father. It’s always been my favorite, and in my opinion the best piece of writing Burnside has ever produced. Among many other things, it is something to be proud of.
David Gentiles, was one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He was also co-pastor, and a leader of Journey IFC in Austin, an amazing congregation. Yesterday’s service, was very difficult without David. But his Spirit was amongst us, and Pastor Rick, Leslie and the rest of the community did an amazing job, and showed so much grace.
We will all miss David immensely, and our hearts go out to the 3 beautiful women he left behind.
I met Dave on the tour. I was sitting there in a big crowded auditorium, he made a point to come say hello. He introduced himself as Ariele’s dad. He sat on the bus for a while, I could hear him and Don laughing. My hearts go out to Ariele & her sisters, Don, Ricky & Ran… all those whom he loved and loved him back. There are a lot of them
When someone like daivd goes, only poetry and hyperbole gets at the truth of the experience of him. thanks for this.
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus…. you will be missed by many david…
you will be missed but never forgotten <3