Ben-tastic ! Is what I hollered every time he blew past me on the Grind.

What a terrible shock to learn of Ben's sudden passing. I only knew Ben briefly through friends but saw immediately that he was so full of life. We went to the Abbotsford Air Show together with our friend Jake and the two of them exuded pure joy the whole day. I could see Ben was completely comfortable living in the moment and connected with others easily. When I told him my husband and I were going on a cross Canada road trip that included Newfoundland he was excited to give me tips on where to hike along the East Coast Trail and share his experience travelling to that part of the country. He was present, engaged, and interested in every conversation we had and I am sure he connected with so many people in big and small ways. My condolences to his family and friends, may you find peace and comfort in the memories you made together.

Ben Pollock, you were such a role model to these young teenagers. On the trips that you accompanied us to Sunday River, on the daily interactions that you had with these young kids at high school and our neighbourhood, you set the gold standard for respectful fun and healthy living. Many families in Kingston sending our condolences this summer.
The Hartel family

I met Ben in the office gym, and after seeing him grit it out on the stairmaster lunch hour after lunch hour, I finally asked him what he was training for. He laughed a full-bellied laugh I came to know well and that's how we went from strangers to fast friends.

That was Ben in a nutshell: the laughs were plentiful and the friendship was easy; he radiated so much warmth and energy. Over the years we knew each other, we bonded over endurance sports, a love of type 2 fun, and a commitment to self-improvement. Ben never missed an opportunity to ask about my races and he was diligent about checking in with me about injuries. His support was unwavering, his cheers were the loudest, and his advice was always sage. Ben is the epitome of a good friend.  Beyond sport, he was deeply reflective and lived his life with genuine curiosity. 

I miss you already, and I can't wait to tell you all about life lately when I see you again. Rest easy, Ben.

Ben and I went to McGill together. We started as friends from McConnell residence, and became very close as we endured the grind of undergrad physics together for the next 3 years. Every day we went to class together and every night we would study together - alternating nights between my place and his. So many dinners, conversations, debates, walks, parties, and laughs. I felt a deep bond with him. I admired his strong moral integrity. He encouraged me to be more conscientious. He was also very scientific and precise. He would ask me how many grams of pasta I wanted for dinner. He told me his headphones cost more than gold on a per ounce basis. He told me which beer had the best value after he crunched the numbers on volume, price and alcohol content. These quirks were endearing and useful, and I applied them to my own life. He was kind and dedicated. I miss him so much.

I knew Ben through the gym and the hallways at work. He was always so friendly and engaging, not to mention a master of the stair master. His absence this past week has been so sad. Hearing stories of his kindness makes me wish I had known him better, but im so glad to have known him at all. An absolute gem of a person! 
The 3rd floor will never be the same.....
RIP Ben ❤️

I'm part of the Grouse Grind community. I've only known him for two years, but he came over to introduce himself to me prior to the Multi-Grouse Grind Challenge in 2024 and wish me well. I was instantly taken back by his warmth in presence and a welcoming big smile. Ben came 5th climbing the Grind 16 times that day.

Ben had a PR of 29:25 on the Grouse Grind which stands at 35th of 10321 all-time on Strava. Given his size, he was the fastest pound for pound grinder that there has ever been. There is no one of his stature that has gone faster on the trail. Ben was a supreme athlete which makes his sudden passing all the more unbelievable and shocking.

Over the past two years I have gotten to know him well and consider him one of my closest friends in the endurance community. I've climbed the trail many times with him over the past 6 months. We're at similar endurance levels, and we often trained at similar times, so I saw him often and always was happy to change my training plans to match what he was doing so I could share some time with him on the trail because being around him seemed more important than doing my own thing. There's very few people who had that type of impact on me. 

He was particularly excited about his journey into dancing, and I could see how meaningful it was to him. I left every interaction with Ben uplifted and I always looked forward to seeing him on the mountain. Knowing he's not around anymore makes me terribly sad. A part of me died when I heard the news. The light has dimmed at Grouse Mountain, but he shone the brightest of lights up there, we're all better for having known him.

I am really shocked about this. I just found out, so I unfortunately missed Ben's celebration of life, since I was hiking then. I know Ben would have wanted me there. 

Ben was always one to spot me in the crowd up top of Grouse, give me a warm handshake and say hi. Not to mention Ben's incredible athleticism, he had a really nice manner and was an inspirational guy, with so much going for him.

As I said, I've only found out about Ben's death, and still can't quite understand how. I'll miss him.

Ben was one of the brightest lights in the Lindy Hop Vancouver community. He was one of my favorite dance partners: warm, funny and in love with the dance. We danced together in Seattle in May and I was so happy to see his beautiful face among strangers. I pray that his family and close friends find comfort and peace in this time of unimaginable loss. Ben...it won't be the same without you.

I am sending you my sympathy to the unbelievable passing  of  Ben
I was a co worker who had worked with Ben and enjoyed his wittyness
and his smarts in day to day affairs.
GOD  Bless him RIP 🙏🏿 
Andre S

To the Pollack Family and friends,

I could tell you ALL how awesome Ben was, but you already know!  He was the epitome of a "Nice Guy!"  

He will be dearly missed by all of his friends from the Grouse Grind here in North Vancouver,  BC, Canada.   

Ben was one of the few people whom I met, could show up, no warm-up and then proceed to knock off three, 33 minute Grind in a row!  

A true modest and humble gentleman and a fine specimen of an athlet!

Gone but never forgotten!  

Until we meet again Ben, your friend Remi

I am heartbroken for all of Ben’s loved ones, and wish to send you all the care and compassion I can. Take care of yourselves during this unimaginable time.

As I shared on Facebook, I knew Ben for less than a year, through swing dancing, and I wish I got the chance to know him better because he was always the very best to be around, and he was so fun to dance with! One of my favourite memories with Ben was during our last class together. We were trying to learn a hard move, tandem Charleston, and Ben picked it up right away! I struggled a lot more, and when it was our turn to partner up, he tried so hard to help me figure it out but I ended up probably kicking him once or twice as we laughed boisterously at the ridiculousness of it all. Most memories with Ben are like that, good conversation, laughs, a comforting feeling of friendship, and never taking ourselves too seriously. He will leave a huge hole in our community. 

My thoughts are with you all. 🩷

I worked with Ben for a short time in the first aid team. Ben was a genuinely wonderful human being. I'm so glad to have known him, however briefly <3

I can’t remember a single time that chatting with Ben didn’t leave me with a positive impression. He was an absolute gem of a person, a true friend, and a top-notch professional in every sense of the word. His kindness, warmth, and genuine character made a lasting impact on everyone fortunate enough to know him. We had far too little time with such an amazing human being. 

You will be missed greatly, my friend.

Ben was always so full of energy and had a charming aura to him every time I saw him. I only know Ben through seeing him at the work gym daily, and the one time we were on the same meeting call. We got chatting after that and I can already tell he's a genuine person so full of life.

There's a Stairmaster machine at the gym that he was always training so hard on. It's so empty now without his presence. 

I'm so sorry for the sudden loss of Ben. He will be missed dearly.

Ben and I worked at the City of Vancouver in Engineering. Although we only worked on a few projects together, I considered him to be one of the people I was closest with at work. I would often cross paths with him at the gym where we would have great conversations together. I always appreciated his smile and kind approach along with his genuine interest in what I had going on in my life, particularly the physical goals I was working towards such as marathon training. His interest, anecdotes, and wise input on endurance sports were welcomed and greatly appreciated as I had always been enamored by his accomplishments in this area, especially on the Grouse Grind, which I consider to be immensely more difficult than anything I could ever dream of doing. I recall one anecdote of his from the Grouse Grind where he created his own electrolyte tablets that helped him set his personal record. He was a perfect blend of cognitive intellect, emotional intelligence and physical dynamism.

Lastly, on one of the projects we did work on together, I was very new in my position and had to coordinate my Landscape Design with his grading work. I ended up asking him very basic questions that I should have already known the answer to. He was so kind and patient in his response and never made me feel like I was wasting his time or that I was inadequate. His approach to this situation has always stuck with me and continues to inspire me to practice the same patience and kindness, not just at work, but with my own kids and family. 

I will greatly miss Ben. I am very sorry for your loss and wish the best for his family.

My sincere condolences.

Adam Finlayson

In working with Ben on various projects, I was struck by his enthusiasm for the things he was passionate about and by his jovial nature. My sincere condolences to Ben's family, friends, and colleagues on his passing.

I first met Ben at Rhythm City. He introduced himself and commented positively on my dancing. That's the kind of warm energy Ben radiated for the relatively short time that I knew him. He was a great dancer, and more importantly a great company. Here's to Ben and all the lives he's touched. Godspeed.

My life intersected with Ben for only a short time, rotating around the circles of swing lessons. He was warm, keen to learn, and perhaps most importantly, joyful. Though we knew each other little, the thing that comes to mind was his playfulness in dance. If he approached the other parts of his life in a similar way, his closer friends and family must feel a deep loss indeed. My deepest regrets to all for your loss; hopefully the playfulness sticks in your memory, too.

We are totally heartbroken by this news. Our sincerest condolences to Benjamin’s family. Being a part of his hiking community,  my friends and I always referred to him as one of the kindest people on that mountain. He always had a twinkle in his eyes and shared words of encouragement for his fellow hikers. He will forever be in our thoughts.
Atoussa Alikashani

Mes sincères condoléances à toute la famille.
J’ai eu l’occasion de connaître Ben lors de quelques rencontres dans mon quartier au fil des années, lorsqu’il venait à Ottawa-Gatineau rendre visite à Jacob, mon cher voisin. Ben était toujours souriant, sympathique et drôle. Il rayonnait de bonheur et de passion à travers les histoires de ses nombreuses aventures dont j’ai souvent entendu parler. Quelle perte épouvantable. Je souhaite santé, courage, réconfort et paix à toute la famille Pollack.

I only knew Ben in passing as a colleague, but every interaction with him made my day a little brighter. He made an effort to remember my name, ask how I was doing, and genuinely connect with me and those around him. His kindness and positivity left a lasting impression that is hard to forget.

He will be deeply missed. I hope to honor his memory by carrying forward the warmth, compassion, and sense of community that he brought to work every day.

OBITUARY

Benjamin Jozef Pollack

Mount Pleasant Universal Funeral Home

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