Stephan David Cloitre

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.” ~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan.

“By the 10th century, 3 of England’s 4 kingdoms were dominated by the Vikings. The areas bordering the North Sea, including Belgium, were significantly colonized. They left behind many Scandinavian family and place names that replaced the original Gaelic.

The MacLeod clan, one of Scotland's most famous Highland clans, has ties to Norse kings and dates back over 800 years. The clan's history is said to begin with Leòd, a man who may have been a member of the Norse family that ruled the Isle of Man in the 13th century. The Cloot last name comes from the name Leod and its Gaelic form is Mac Leoid. The last name Cloitre comes from the Flemish Cloot: when my ancestor moved from the Flemish side to the Wallon side of Belgium.

I conclude … without any real tangible proof, that I come from Viking ancestry. It’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.” ~ Stephan Cloitre, The Healing Viking

I was born on September 15th 1970 in Uccle, Belgium, at the Edith Cavell hospital. From the very beginning, it seemed like my life was meant to be a fight. From my parents’ financial struggles to my turbulent educational path and continually restarting at the bottom of each corporate ladder, I operated as my Viking ancestors: navigating unsure waters to fight hostile forces. Even my interests were competitive: running, Jiu-jitsu, car racing, and weapon crafting. Not to say it was a constant battle— I married the love of my life, Andrea, and was blessed with two beautiful daughters, Florencia and Valentina. There were moments in which the fight paused, and I had the peace to experience such pride and joy in my family.

It wasn’t until the greatest fight of my life, facing the fierce dragon of grade 4 glioblastoma, that I began to get in touch with my healing side.

It felt right to pursue this; I had come to understand that reconciling the masculine energy of a Viking fighter with the feminine energy of a healer was my soul’s purpose. Additionally, I felt a connection to St. Michael. He is considered a champion of justice, a healer of the sick, and the guardian of the Church. For me, he represents the duality of being both a warrior and a healer, and this is the path I am trying to follow. He fought a dragon too. I began to pursue all paths of healing, from the advances of western medicine to the older practices rooted in Eastern tradition, to humor itself.

As I told the nurses who offered me oxycodone, “Pain don’t hurt.” In a way, it was a return to Viking tradition as well; if you’d fallen ill in a Viking village, you would have sought out the local healer, a woman with a vast array of medical practices in her repertoire. In turn, I gathered my own team of doctors and healers, leaving the medical procedures in the hands of the professionals and relying on the wisdom provided by those equally suited. My soul’s purpose had been fulfilled, the masculine and feminine energies reconciling in their respective personas of warrior and healer.

As my acupuncturist told me: “don’t worry about it, the doctors can deal with the tumor, all you need to do is be wise, happy and at peace”. ~ Adapted from Stephan Cloitre, The Healing Viking

Peace, wisdom, and laughter—That’s what he would wish for all of us.

A visitation for Stephan will be held Tuesday, May 27, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at H M Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Rd NE, Sandy Springs, Georgia. A funeral mass will occur Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM at St Jude The Apostle Catholic Church, 7171 Glenridge Dr Ne, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328.