Adam Velte

Through the life of Adam Velte we are reminded that each day is a gift and that it is through loving others that we are richly blessed. His strength and resilience despite his limitations were nothing less than inspiring, and the impact he made on the world around him was as significant as those who are given decades in which to compose their life’s song. All who knew Adam would agree that he was so much fun to be around as he had a quick wit and a vibrant sense of humor that he willingly shared with every opportunity that arose. Although we will miss Adam deeply, we will be forever grateful for having been touched by such an extraordinary young man.

The eighties were a decade to remember as this was a decade of great change. People like Donald Trump, Danielle Steele, and Bruce Springsteen were becoming household names and with the birth of cable, the cultural fabric of America would never be the same. Nestled within this colorful decade was the year 1985 that was a time of great anticipation for one young family from Grand Rapids, Michigan, as they were eagerly awaiting the birth of their second child that spring. Their wait was over on April 11th of that year when baby Adam Michael was born as the younger of two children born to his parents, Michael A. and Barbara J. (Jaworowski) Velte. Joined in his family by his older sister, Sarah, Adam’s father was thrilled to have a son join their family of four, and Adam was named after his mother’s father, Adam Jaworowski, who died while his mother was pregnant for him. In order to support his family, Adam’s father worked as a hand carver and Kindle Furniture while his mother was a preschool teacher at Sacred Heart School.

As a boy Adam was raised in the family home at 1036 Park Street on the west side, which was the same home his mother was raised in. The family was members of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish where his mother also went to church as a young girl. Adam was a bustle of activity as a young boy as he kept busy playing with his Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, riding his bike with the neighborhood kids and watching movies like Ghostbusters, and regularly getting together with his extended families on both the Velte and Jaworowski sides as they all lived nearby.

By the time he was five years old, Adam was having difficulty keeping up with the other kids and tired easily. After doctors appointments and extensive testing, he was diagnosed with duchenne muscular dystrophy. Life continued on and the family dealt with Adam’s needs as they arose. As he got older, his physical abilities became more pronounced to the point where he needed a wheelchair when he was eight years old. Adam had been a student at Sacred Heart School, but he was transferred to Ken-O-Sha Elementary as Sacred Heart was unable to accommodate his physical needs.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that Adam never skipped a beat as he settled in at his new school where he became good friends with so many of his classmates including Alice, Rachel, Brian, Josh, and Rosalie just to name a few. This core group of friends remained as such through their years at Ken-O-Sha through the sixth grade and also when they all moved to Iroquois Middle School and then to Ottawa Hills High School. Adam also had a special relationship with he favorite teacher, Karen Hunter. He had a fun sense of humor and always had his classmates laughing on the bus. Adam went on to graduate from Ottawa in 2003, writing the class speech for his class.

Family time was an important component in life around the Velte home. They took many camping trips through the years to places such as Mackinaw, Colorado, Interlochen, Orchard Beach State Park, and Sleeping Bear Dunes among many more. Adam’s father fashioned a wheelchair for Adam that had extra large wheels that enabled him to get around in the sand more easily.

There were so many things Adam loved. He was a fast food junkie, especially for McDonald’s where he always got the same thing - a double cheeseburger, fries, and a coke. Taco Bell was another one of his favorites, and he also enjoyed going to Russ’ and Arnies. Some of the other foods he loved were pizza rolls, potato skins, cheesy potatoes, and kielbasa. Adam was a diehard fan of WWE Wrestling and knew every wrestler and every wrestling move. He loved watching Smackdown and RAW as well as cooking channels when he was in the mood for something a bit less intense. Adam was an avid reader of countless sci-fi books, and he also read every book in the Harry Potter series. When it came to music, Adam loved hard rock from bands like AC/DC, some kinds of rap music, and modern rock music as well. He was a gamer, too, as he could often be found playing his video games.

As the years went by Adam was progressively limited by his disease. This past year his breathing became more labored so he was put on assisted breathing continuously. Even as his body grew weaker, Adam’s mind remained sharp and his sense of humor and deep love for his family and friends remained intact.

A stranger to none and a friend to all, Adam Velte was a gift given to those around him for such a short time. He was kind and gentle - the sort of guy who was always sensitive to the needs and feelings of those around him. Adam was a true character who loved life, laughter, and all the good times he shared with his family and friends. The memories he leaves behind will remain forever near and dear to all our hearts.

Adam Michael Velte of Grand Rapids died on Sunday, September 11, 2011. Adam’s family includes his parents, Michael and Barbara Velte; his sister and brother-in-law, Sarah (Paul) Ripley; his grandparents, Carl and Alice Velte, Lorraine Jaworowski; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Adam was preceded in death by his grandfather, Adam Jaworowski. Cremation has taken place. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on Friday at 11:00 a.m. Relatives and friends may meet his family on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. with a scripture service at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Please consider contributions in his memory to The Humane Society of West Michigan or Gift of Life. To sign his guest book and to leave your own memory of him, please visit his web page at www.lifestorynet.com.