Family and friends are remembering Stefan Gryniewski. His father shares this remembrance:
My son, Stefan Gryniewski, died of an accidental drug overdose in the early morning of August 23, 2023. He left this world too soon. At least I know that he is at peace now in God’s love and no longer subject to the ravages of a terrible drug addiction.
He will be missed terribly and remembered always.
From his very beginning Stefan faced challenges in life. He was born prematurely, weighing a mere 2 lbs. 4 ozs. He spent 58 days in an incubator before coming home. When I first held him in my hands, and he wasn’t much bigger than my hands, I wondered aloud “how is this baby going to survive?” However, he received excellent care from the doctors and nurses at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, and I am forever grateful.
Stefan was a fighter. He not only survived but he thrived. He sought to overcome every obstacle he faced in life. He had the strength, courage, and desire to live life to its fullest. He was smart, funny, sociable, dependable, and loved his family. Unfortunately, over the last few years Fentanyl and heroin hijacked his resolve and took his life.
Stefan’s smile lit up a room. He loved to laugh and sing. For some odd reason he had a special love for songs from the 1970s. He was a goofball in every way. He was also focused, motivated, and goal oriented.
Growing up, Stefan immersed himself in many things. He loved sports – especially baseball and football. He was a rabid Mariners, Huskies, and Seahawks fan. He loved American muscle cars and dreamed of owning one at some point in his life. He took every auto shop class that he could in high school and learned his way around cars.
Stefan also loved camping and nature. We spent many wonderful summers camping together at Tahklahk Lake in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. He loved swimming, fishing, hiking, and reading Harry Potter by the fire. For those memories Tahklahk Lake will always occupy a special place in our hearts now and forever.
A voracious reader, Stefan was also interested in current events, politics, and the world around him. He was passionate about many causes and always stood up for what he believed in. He had a particular gift for languages and was fluent in many of them. Stefan was proud of his Polish heritage and dreamed of traveling to Poland someday to meet his relatives.
More than anything, Stefan wanted to create a loving, stable life for his family and dreamed of a successful career, becoming a homeowner, and contributing to his community.Stefan graduated Cum Laude from Ingraham High School, where he also wrestled and played football. He was enrolled at the University of Washington – Tacoma, where he was 30 credits short of a degree in Global Honors at the time of his passing.
Stefan is survived by Bruce Gryniewski (father), Eva Luna (mother), Levi Gryniewski (brother), Pechanda Von (wife), Felix Gryniewski (son), and many loving aunts, uncles and cousins.
In lieu of flowers or remembrances, please consider making a donation to a drug addiction treatment center or organization of your choice. No words can describe the pain of losing a child but every life we save will be forever in his memory.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
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