Fairbanks family holds vigil for son missing off Australian coast
Published Thursday, June 19, 2008
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FAIRBANKS — Darryl and Ruth Earnshaw, bolstered by the presence of a houseful of friends, are holding vigil in their Fairbanks home as Australian search and rescue units continue to comb the central New South Wales coast for their missing son.
Jeremy Earnshaw, 23, was swept into the Pacific Ocean by wild waves off Snapper Point in the Munmorah State Conservation Area on Monday afternoon.
Tuesday evening, Australian police told the Earnshaws to “prepare ourselves for the inevitable, that he probably is not alive,” Ruth said.
According to Australian sources, Jeremy was sightseeing with his girlfriend, Christina Cuppitt, and another young couple on his day off from Youth With A Mission in nearby Newcastle when the unexpected struck.
Jeremy and Jesse Lee, also with YWAM, an inter-denominational Christian worldwide ministry, were walking along rocks on Snapper Point when a freak wave washed them into heavy seas that had been pounding the coast for several days.
Witnesses lost sight of Jeremy immediately after he was swept into the water, and he has been missing ever since.
A flotation device was thrown to Lee who managed to stay afloat in the crashing surf until a helicopter rescue winched him to safety. He was hospitalized for hypothermia and released.
Jeremy’s parents talk lovingly about their son who dedicated his young life to others.
“I don’t want to make him out as a saint. He had his imperfections,” his mother said.
But Jeremy’s love of and ability to connect with people was without bounds.
“He didn’t care about their age, or the number of their tattoos; he had the ability to talk to anyone,” Ruth said.
In the fall following Jeremy’s 2003 graduation from Monroe Catholic High School, which he had attended since first grade, he traveled to New South Wales, Australia, for the YWAM six-month discipleship training.
There, he had his hair fashioned into a foot-high pink Mohawk and organized skateboard camps for youth in area communities.
By the time he returned home, the Mohawk was gone, replaced by a nose ring, two mouth rings and an ear stretched out with a wide ring.
“That was a really hard one (to take) for me,” Ruth said.
But Darryl comforted her, saying, “Ruth you have to look beyond that. ... He has a really good heart.”
By then, Jeremy was determined to take up ministry. His friend, Pastor Howard Echo-Hawk, encouraged him, and gave him $10 to reach his goal.
“I still have that 10 bucks framed in the kitchen,” Ruth said.
Darryl said that when Jeremy was a young teen, 13 or 14, they had a long talk about religion. “I said, ‘You can’t rely on me and Mom’s faith. You’ll have to find your own relationship with Jesus, and we’ll be here to support you.’”
“He did that. He just gave himself to people. He just loved people,” Darryl said.
Members of Door of Hope Church, the Earnshaws said that Jeremy’s outgoing nature made him known in many churches throughout the area.
His interests included skateboarding, philosophy, reading (especially C.S. Lewis) and music. A guitar bass player, he formed a punk band called With Teeth.
Before returning to Australia in 2005, Jeremy spent two semesters at the University of Alaska Fairbanks studying English and writing.
“He felt compelled to return to Newcastle and go to the (YWAM) School of Evangelism,” Ruth said.
The training also consisted of evangelistic outreach, and Jeremy traveled to Cairo where he worked in Egyptian orphanages, helped out at some Christian Coptic churches and made friends on the streets and in coffee houses.
He returned to Alaska in March 2007, worked as a flagger during the summer for the Department of Transportation and at Barnes and Noble bookstore into the early winter.
Last November, after his best friend Tyler Williams and Leanna Prax were married, Jeremy returned to Newcastle to be part of the YWAM leadership team.
“He worked with skateboarding youth on the street,” his mother said. “It was hard for us to let him go each time.”
This time, there was another impelling reason for Jeremy’s return. He and his Australian girlfriend were talking about getting married and began looking at rings.
“I don’t know if he had asked her to marry him yet,” Darryl said, “but he was actively pursuing a relationship with her (Christina’s) father to get to know him and ask him for her hand.”
Today, Darryl, his friend Jack Benson, and Jered and Tyler Williams, who grew up with Jeremy, will travel to Newcastle.
“We plan to meet with Christina and Lee and the other young woman at the scene, hang out with the street kids and the people they were ministering to,” Darryl said.
Ruth will stay behind, but she won’t be alone.
“That’s what it’s all about, your friends coming around you in these tough times,” she said.
Community Discussion
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Our thoughts and prayers are with this family. May God comfort you and sustain you as only He can. Praise God for a young life lived for others.
Praying!
My thoughts and prayers are with the Earnshaws i have lots of very fond memories of Jeremy,He was such a lovey boy when we were growning up. Joelle xx
My thoughts and prayers are with the Earnshaw Family!!!
I've been praying and thinking of the family ever since we heard the news ... God be with you.
You are in our thoughts and prayer continually.
I am thankful for a great community that we live in that shows its expression of love to you and your family.
My daughter & I read about Jeremy this last Spring at Missionfest. She was inspired by him and from his story decided to go to a DTS school.
I wonder how many other people he inspired.
You are in our prayers!
Your family is in my thoughts and prayers....
Darryl & Ruth,
My thoughts & Prayers are with you all, especially as Darryl prepares to travel down to NZ with a great support system. God speed & safe passage.
- Kris J (former member of DOH)
Grace and Peace to you my dear friends. You are an example of stability and strength to us all. You have lost your only son on Fathers Day... I can't imagine... My heart and prayers are with you.
Oh geeze. I had no idea this was going on.
I love you guys, I'm praying, and I'll be in touch.
Doug
Jeremy is a great guy & is always so pleasant with when I have ran into him around town, I am praying for his safe return.
Sorry, so pleasant to chat with, the last time we did in fact he told me about his girlfriend there, he was ecstatic. I am just shocked...
Darryl & Ruth, I haven't ever met you, but you did a great job with this kid!
Darryl and Ruth,
I am so very sorry for your loss. As a YWAM base here in Mexico we are praying for you and your family. We are also praying for our fellow ywamers in Newcastle who are mourning the loss of a great friend. As an Alaskan Ywamer please know that my heart breaks for you and I am praying for you as you walk through this, may His peace surround you! And may 10 fold rise up and take Jeremy's place in reaching the hurting youth of Newcastle and the world!!
Jeremy was a great friend... My husband and I continue to pray for him and his family. He's safe in God's hands.
Oh my gosh, Jeremy. I pray to God they find you!!! My prayers are with you and your family.
Jeremy was a great friend... He was always the same guy, never fake. My husband and I continue to pray for him and his family. He's safe in God's hands.
A tragic loss.
Sounds to me like lives have been impacted all over the world by this humble servant of God and man.
He is a world changer and probaly never knew how much.
God bless his parents for doing such a great job.
I've only known Jeremy for a few years, but in the short time it felt like a lot longer. He had the great ability to feel like a brother and best friend. If there was anybody ready for this, I know Jerms was the man.
His jokes and unique sense of humor still spread a huge smile across my face.
What a great guy. He will be missed.
Darryl and Ruth,
Peace to you both! Jeremy loved what he did in life and he received that as a gift from you both. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
nansi and mike
Awsome memories w/you jeremy at young life's camp in wild-horse. gonna miss you.
Jeremy is like a brother to me and I'm not going to lose hope for his return to us. I've known him for some time and in that time I've seen him grow from a boy to a man, especially in maturity and wisdom. The second time he came back from YWAM he was changed. I could tell God was really doing a lot in his life. Jeremy, I love you like the brother I never had. Your parents are the greatest and I know they also still have hope for your return. We all love you! My prayers are constantly with you, your parents and Christina.
Absolute Shock.
Jeremy was an awesome person and will be very much missed. I haven't seen him much the last couple years, but whenever I did, I was always greeted with a hug and an enthusiastic smile. My prayers go out to Darryl, Ruth, and Christina.
Jeremy was an amazing young man. He had Philippians 1:21 tattooed on his chest, and he lived what he believed. He will truly be missed, yet his influence and legacy of love will live on. Continued prayers for Darryl and Ruth as they travel this difficult road.
For Daryl and Ruth...I knew you during my DOH days and actually since 1990. My oldest son is about the same age as Jeremy. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I read the Phil. 1:21...what a testimony!!! I recall talking with Jeremy at FCC about 4 years ago. I have a passion for music and I admired him cuz I could tell he was singing/playing from his heart. I lost a brother who was 16 at the time...I think that helps me relate to the loss you are having. A classic hymn thats been going through my mind alot lately is...To God Be the Glory. This is what I see too in reading these newsminer accounts. May God send you showers of blessings....I'll call or email when the time is right. dee99709 aka Dorothy M.
I need to explain FCC...I meant it to stand for Friends Comm. Church...not Fairbanks Corr. Center.
Ruth and Daryl what can I say. I remember Jeremy when he was a little toddler and moving into the teenage years. We always ask ourselves why when it should have been me. God had other great plans for Jeremy. My heart goes out to your family and I hope to stay in touch. I am just thankful Tony told me about Jeremy.
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