This is a post I have been thinking about writing for the last couple of years, but it has been too difficult to put my feelings into words; remembering Heather Braathen, also known as HeatherLEGOgirl. Heather was a big part of the LEGO fan community, and she also had a profound effect on me…
When Heather went missing on March 20th in 2012, the entire LEGO community pulled together to help finding her. LEGO bloggers blogged, LEGO forum members alerted their networks, and everybody prayed for her safe return. This is a testimony of the connectedness of the LEGO fan community, and it is also an indication of the influence Heather had on others – so many people knew her and wanted to help. It was a stressful couple of weeks for everyone who knew her…
Then on April 2nd, exactly two years ago, it was announced that Heather’s body has been found the previous day. She was only 35 years old when she passed away. It was difficult to hear, and difficult to believe. And while I have absolutely no intention of making light of the events, I also can’t help thinking that only someone like Heather would have chosen April Fools’ Day to be found; she was always full of fun and jokes. April’s first couple of days haven’t been quite the same for me ever since…
HeatherLEGOgirl has been a very active member of the Seattle, WA area LEGO community, and also actively participated in LEGO conventions (especially BrickCon), where she was known for her friendly smile and bubbly personality. Actually, her traits of being so welcoming and approachable can’t be overstated. Adult LEGO fans tend to be somewhat reclusive, and while LEGO conventions are fun, they could also feel intimidating with all those people around. I have read many memories of how Heather made others feel welcome and helped them warm up to LEGO events and meet others.
Heather was also a very talented and accomplished LEGO builder. Her incredibly detailed dollhouses are well-known. I have also featured here her brick-built LEGO figures she called Darlings here: How to Make Cute LEGO Minifig “Darlings”. There has been flickr group put together in the memory of Heather where you can see many of her LEGO creations, and personal pictures and stories people share about her. See here: Heather Braaten Memorial Group
Heather had also commented here on Sarah’s article, The World of Female LEGO Fans – PART 3: Sarah’s Story. She wrote: “I hope your research is going well. I’ve been building with LEGO since I was five years old and I admit it’s an addiction I don’t care to find a cure for. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many female fans of LEGO since getting into the community aspect of the hobby and I have to say that we’re quite a diverse bunch. Our numbers are growing and I hope that trend keeps up. It’s discussions like these that bring new members to the fold. Thank you.”
As I have mentioned Heather also had a profound effect on me. When I started to become interested in the LEGO hobby after several years of hiatus, my first question was if it was okay and normal for an adult to “play with LEGO”. After discovering the online LEGO community and seeing all the amazing stuff people were building, I have come to the conclusion that yes, it was indeed okay to play with LEGO as a grown-up. However I was still feeling somewhat uneasy, because all of those awesome LEGO creations I have seen online seemed to be from guys. So my next question was that although it may be okay for adult guys to build with LEGO, what about gals? Are there any adult female LEGO builders out there? After some time I ran into Heather’s flickr gallery (unfortunately now deleted), and that was it for me; due to her influence and example I fully came out of my shell as a LEGO fan (in fact that’s when I started this blog). Heather was not just an awesome female LEGO builder, but she was also totally open about it. If you saw her flickr gallery a good portion of the pictures were all about her social interactions around LEGO. Heather was pretty, talented, and made being an FFOL (Female-Fan-of-LEGO) just plain cool. No more “only guys can build with LEGO”, or “LEGO is only for nerds”. Since that time I have met other amazing female LEGO builders, but Heather will always be the first for me and I will always remain grateful for that…
This is just my story and how HeatherLEGOgirl influenced me, but there are many-many other people who share similar experiences with her, whether they have met her in person or have only seen her work online. With her friendly personality she had touched the lives of people both inside and outside the LEGO community. She was not just a talented LEGO builder and important part of LEGO conventions, but also a graphic designer, wife, and mother of two young children. And what I have heard she was also a formidable Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit player.
This was the official announcement about Heather’s passing by her family: “Heather was a loving mother to James and Lauren Braaten, daughter to Leo and Robin Schmitz, sister to Ian Schmitz and wife to Jason Braaten. Passed March 20th, 2012. She will always be in our hearts, always remembered, and always loved. Heather was a very creative, artistic, and brilliant woman. She was very influential in the LEGO community as an adult fan, and created masterpieces in that medium. She knew trivia that was shocking to those who knew her – how she could possibly know these answers? Playing Trivial Pursuit spelled certain doom for anyone willing to challenge her. She was very witty and had one of the best senses of humor known. She had a knack for making you smile with her quick wit. Not a day will pass that she isn’t missed.”
If you knew Heather (either in person or from online) and would like to share some of your experiences, feel free to do so in the comment section below. It is important to keep alive the memory of persons who had a positive effect on us (whether LEGO related or not), and even more importantly, to let them know that we appreciate them while they are still with us. We may never have the chance again…
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