FROM AUSTIN'S MOTHER
In memory of Austin Dwight Ponsart born on January 14, 1997. He was a son, brother, grandson, uncle, and a great friend to many. Austin grew up in Manassas Park, Virginia with loving parents and one sister. He was always happy and a very energetic little boy. Having always had the love for the outdoors and keeping busy, Austin played various sports throughout his childhood including soccer, T-ball, basketball, and most loved lacrosse. Austin’s love for adventure and the outdoors wasn’t limited to turf fields and indoor courts, he also discovered a love for the water. Austin grew up boating, swimming, wake boarding and surfing at the lake with his family every chance he could.
Once Austin entered high school and lacrosse was not offered as a team sport, his inner drive and need for participation lead him to the sport of swimming. Austin’s love for the water and competitive spirit took him to states twice during his high school career for the 500m event. This was a monumental moment for Austin finding a sense of accomplishment and pride where hard work, dedication and support from family paid off. He continued to find ways to keep himself engaged by playing the saxophone in the school band, a member of his high school golf and baseball teams. We were so proud of Austin and were often told he was “the guy” coaches wanted on the team because he was supportive and uplifting of others. Outside of the sports arenas, Austin would build gaming computers and taught himself to play the guitar. His final achievement in high school was perfect attendance. This was exceptional for Austin because academics did not come easy to him, and he knew he had to work harder than his sister and some of his friends.
After graduation, Austin found himself at the crossroads of ‘what do I do now’? He knew the traditional academic path of a 4-year college was not the road he wanted to take. He got a job at a local pet store and enrolled in a community college. Austin was struggling with 3 semesters under his belt finding studying, course selection and the career path process frustrating. He found himself in uncharted territory and not really knowing what to do and decided to take a year off from continuing education to work full time. From the view of his parents, this was a challenging time. We knew Austin was smart and most certainly had the ability to do great things because he had proven that to himself many times before.
It was during this time of challenge that I discovered Eagle U and immediately saw the value and wanted to share this perfect fit with Austin. With the help of a sponsor, Eagle U Summer of 2017 was set in motion. Convincing Austin to step out of his comfort zone and trust this opportunity was the hard part. The best motherly advice that I could offer my reluctant son was to go in with an open mind and wholeheartedly trust me and this process. He set off for Kentucky and let the Eagle U journey begin.
Austin returned after the one-week completion with tears of joy and boasting about this life changing experience at Eagle U. He could not thank us enough for this opportunity. He was beaming with pride, sharing every moment with us from the wonderful people he had met, the inspiring guest speakers to the leaders and mentors that made this great impact on him. To hear Austin say that Eagle U “was the best thing that had ever happened in his life” was overwhelming to us proving that it was that “perfect fit”. Austin had a newfound confidence. He learned the importance of effective goal setting, useful tools for a successful interview, the value of “Doing Good” and so much more. He began to spend even more time outdoors, meditating, hiking and mountain biking. He returned with focus and the desire to live up to his potential and a recharged self-worth.
Austin knew the outdoors is where he was happiest, so he accepted an excavating job with a local construction company. Although he knew this was not his chosen career for life, he embraced the challenge and thrill of learning new skills and financially taking care of himself. With this professional stability and love for the adventurous outdoors, Austin had set his sights on purchasing his first motorcycle, against our parental judgement of course. He worked on his 1997 Honda motorcycle in our garage more than he rode it, but he was determined. Austin continued to work hard every day and find the things in life that fulfilled him. His passion for motorcycles and countless hours learning about bikes combined with his ultimate dream of someday owning a Harley Davidson motorcycle led him in a new direction. It had finally clicked!
Austin quickly applied to the Motorcycle Mechanic Institute (MMI) in Orlando Florida. The new plan was in motion. Austin now had to figure out how he was going to make this dream career with Harley Davidson become a reality. In December 2021, Austin decided to start shadowing a friend working at the Harley Davidson of Washington D.C. location. He spent many days watching, learning, and taking full binders of notes. Austin made quite the impression landing him the interview he had been working towards. Austin was offered the job and jumped right into the training program with confidence and determination. He was selected to participate in the Certified Technician program in Orlando, Florida and completed with 100% success. Life was good! Austin had finally figured out his purpose and was well on his way to seeing it through. The true sense of success and commitment came at the purchase of the ultimate dream come true motorcycle, a 2022 Harley Davidson low rider that Austin affectionally named, Lucy.
It was at this exact moment in life that Austin’s passion for riding had led him to the career he loved. His goal was to continue his schooling to become a Master Technician with Harley Davidson. Unfortunately, those goals and dreams were cut short with a motorcycle accident on the evening of January 8, 2023. Our beloved son, Austin passed away the next day from injuries sustained on January 9, 2023.
In memory of our dear son, Austin Ponsart, we are honored to start a memorial scholarship fund at Eagle U to ensure that another young man or woman can embrace the life changing benefit as it was offered to Austin. We hold true in our hearts that Eagle U positively impacted the trajectory of Austin’s path and lead him to do things he could only imagine. For this, our family is forever grateful for Eagle U. It is our hope to honor Austin and our goal to sponsor as many students as we can for years to come so that they can take full advantage of all that Eagle U has to offer. Respectfully submitted by the family of Austin Dwight Ponsart.
Click Here to Apply for the Austin Scholarship
