LIVE LIKE WILL
William Scott Green II
November 6, 1991 - June 23, 2015
Lived "A Life to be Followed"
A loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, boyfriend, and friend to all.
His was no ordinary life, but one lived in a close connection with the Lord, showing love to everyone he encountered. His smile radiated kindness as he walked a humble life making a huge impact on the world. Will's faithfulness began early. From the time he was a little boy, Will read his Bible every morning without fail. He would read and re-read verses and chapters until they were set in memory upon his heart. You see, Will could reflect Jesus because he spent so much time with Him.
Will had an amazing smile and warm personality that made everyone feel special and important. Family time at home with his mom, dad, and brother was most special to him, but he always had time for his extended family (grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles) and friends, even though he was always keeping busy with new adventures and opportunities. He never tired of giving a helping hand and always did it with a smile. He was always happy and never spoke a bad word about anyone; and he had a hysterically contagious laugh that everyone loved to hear. It is not surprising that Will had many, many friends from all over the country and even in different parts of the world.
Besides Will's love for God and people, he is also well known for his wakeboarding talent. Will's love for the water began as an infant, strapped in a car seat in the boat, watching his dad waterski every day. From the time Will could walk, he was on the water, waterskiing like his dad. But big-air and spin tricks are what caught Will's interest, so Will and his brother, Matt began wakeboarding when Will was 13. We used to say that Will had a one-track mind; and that super-focus ability was exactly what propelled him into being a world-class wakeboarder. He wakeboarded just about every day except Saturdays. Even though he loved wakeboarding, Will always made it clear that his relationship with God came first. Will's developed a deep faith and relationship with Jesus and was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church on August 26, 2005, just about the time that he picked up his love for wakeboarding. Will lived by God's Word and His commandments because he loved the God whose character is exemplified in those commands. So he had purposed in his heart to hold firm to his beliefs, including his commitment to keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy and setting that day apart for worship and rest. For him, that meant he would not compete on Saturdays, even though he had the talent to compete on the pro circuit, which meant Saturday competition.
Over the years, it did work out for Will to compete in a few tournaments each year on days other than Saturday where he would place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd most of the time. In 2013, He joined the University of Florida Wakeboarding Team, and they respectfully accommodated his beliefs by working with officials to have him compete on Fridays and Sundays only. On May 30, 2015, Will won First Place in the National Collegiate Wakeboarding Championships; and he was able to do this without having to compromise his beliefs. No one would ever know this though, because of Will's humble spirit. He never felt comfortable "tooting his own horn" or drawing attention to himself.
Besides competing and hanging out with other wakeboarders on the water, Will used his talent to teach young people the love of wakeboarding, sharing his faith at the same time. He spent five summers working at Cohutta Springs Youth Camp where he loved to share God with campers as he taught them his other love of wakeboarding. His focus was always on God and making a difference in the lives of others. More than anything else, Will honored God in putting Him first in his life.
At the age of 23, Will's adult life seemed to be on track with God's plan for him. Will sought the Lord daily as he set high goals in life and worked hard to achieve anything he set out to do. In December of 2014, Will completed his degree in Agriculture from the University of Florida. He owned a small mobile home park and began a landscape company that was already very successful. He was well on his way to an entrepreneurial career path that would earn him respect and admiration in the community as well as enabling him to help those in need, which he was so passionate about doing. Will also had found the love of his life, Ashley Nelson, who he was planning a future life with.
Will's promising future on this earth ended when he was involved in a wakeboarding accident in North Georgia while working at Cohutta Springs Youth Camp in the summer of 2015. Tragically, Will died from his injuries on June 23, 2015. He was doing what he loved, shining for the Lord. We know, without a doubt that we will see Will again when Jesus returns; his salvation is sure. It is such a horrific loss--the world has lost a precious jewel that cannot be replaced. Will had the potential to change the whole world and we believe that his influence can continue through those whose lives were impacted by the way Will lived. We pray that Will's life will be remembered. He did make a difference in the lives of everyone who knew him. -- Everyone loved Will-- May the memory of how Will lived his life continue to warm all our hearts, and may his influence for Jesus be felt and spread as though he was still here with us.
At the funeral service, Will's brother and best friend, Matt asked everyone to not let Will's life be forgotten, but to go out and try to live like Will because he lived an extraordinary life--one lived like Christ -- definitely one to be followed.
Please join us as we strive to live like Will and carry on his legacy by lighting the world with love until Jesus comes to take us to live with him and we are reunited with Will forever.
**Come Quickly Lord Jesus**
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
William Scott Green II
Born: November 6, 1991
Baptized in the Lord: August 26, 2005
Date of Death: June 23, 2015
Parents: Scott and Jennifer Green
Brother: Matt Green
Soul Mate: Ashley Nelson
Homeschooled through the 8th grade
Attended Forest Lake Academy and graduated in May 2010
Attended Southern Adventist University August 2010 - May 2011
Attended Seminole State College August 2011 - May 2012
Attended University of Florida June 2012 - December 2014 and graduated on December 20, 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science and a minor degree in Agri-business.
Owner / Landlord of small mobile home park in Orlando
Owner of FloScapes Landscape Co. LLC
Lifetime Seventh-day Adventist Christian and Lover of the Lord Jesus Christ
Member of Markham Woods SDA Church
PERSONAL INTERESTS:
Spending time with God, Ashley, Matt, family and friends, Long talks with his mom and dad, Wakeboarding, Fishing, Hunting, Camping, Surfing, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Watching sunsets, Photography, Horseback riding, Anything outside or adventurous, Eating, Reading the Bible, Studying the Bible with friends, Making people feel important, but mostly Will loved being with people and Smiled all the time. His smile was contagious as was his warm personality.
AWARDS:
From 2008 until 2015 -- Competed in 16 National and World Level Wakeboarding Competitions and 3 Collegiate Regional/National Level Wakeboarding Competitions and other grass-roots level tournaments
2001 Swiss Slalom Open Boys 1 1st Place
2009 Forte's Wakeboard Tour Stop 1 Outlaw Division -- 1st place
2009 Forte's Wakeboard Tour Stop 2 Outlaw Division -- 3rd place
2009 Forte's Wakeboard Tour Stop 3 Outlaw Division -- 1st place
2009 Forte's Wakeboard Tour Stop 4 Outlaw Division -- 1st place
2009 Forte's Wakeboard Tour Overall Champion
2009 Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships Junior Men -- 2nd Place
2010 Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard World Championships Junior Men -- 2nd Place
2011 Nautique Wake Games Men 1 -- 3rd Place
2011 Nautique Wake Games Team Champions -- 1st Place
2011 WWA Wakeboard National Championships Men 1 -- 2nd Place
2012 INJURED
2013 WWA Wakeboard National Championships Men 1 -- 3rd Place
2014 Nautique Wake Games Men 1 -- 1st Place
2014 USA Wakeboard Collegiate Regional Championsips -- 1st Place
2014 USA Wakeboard Collegiate National Championships -- 3rd Place
2015 USA Wakeboard Collegiate National Championships -- Team Champions 1st Place
2015 USA Wakeboard Collegiate National Championships -- 1st Place
2015 #3 in the Collegiate Wakeboarding's Top Ten List for 2014-2015 school year
2015 Chosen as University of Florida’s Individual Athlete of the Year posthumously
What it means to LIVELIKEWILL:
In Will's Own words -- Will made out and updated his goals for his life every year. below are his most recent goals that he wrote and kept by his bed.
VALUES:
· Love God and love others
· Keep God first
· Do not put anything in life (relationships, money, things) ahead of God.
· Do not misuse God's name (don't curse or say anything against God)
· Keep the Sabbath (don't work on the Sabbath, spend extra time with God and go to church)
· Honor mom and dad (don't do anything that would let them down)
· Do not murder (don't kill anyone, physically or mentally)
· Do not commit adultery (don't cheat on my wife, don't lust)
· Do not steal (be honest in all of my business dealings)
· Do not give false testimony (don't gossip)
· Do not covet (don't obsess about what others have that I don't)
· Consult God about everything I do
· Do not do drugs of any kind
· Do not drink
· Stand up for God and be able to tell people what I believe and why I believe it.
· Work hard and don't be lazy
SPIRITUAL GOALS: Will carried his bible with him everywhere he went and read it all throughout the day--especially every morning before he even got out of bed. He was in the habit of memorizing large portions of the bible including full chapters. these are the goals he had rewritten in august 2014.
· Read with text group every morning
· Memorize one bible chapter a month
· Go to a bible study at least once a month
· Read 10 religious books a year
· Pray every morning and every night and all throughout the day
· Don't listen to music that goes against my values (Cursing, Drinking, Degrading women)
· Stick to my values
· Find a prayer partner
· Find a wife that I can read and pray and have a deep spiritual life with
Giving Back:
Among Will's many passions were family, the outdoors, wakeboarding, and helping others. Most importantly though, God was Will's #1 focus; and he easily shared God with everyone he met through his actions and words. In Will's written life goals for GIVING BACK, he includes the practice of tithing 10% and giving specifically to Cohutta Springs Youth Camp where Will invested much of his time with campers of all ages nurturing their enthusiasm for wakeboarding, and most importantly, helping them grow their relationship with his God.
*** You can support Will's "giving back" goal by donating to the Cohutta Springs Youth Camp Will Green “LiveLikeWill” Scholarship Fund at www.cs-yc.com in memory of Will Green and his love for camp ministry, and for sharing his faith with young people. Through your donation, more kids will have the opportunity to learn of the God that Will served and eagerly shared with campers. Visit the camp’s website to learn more about why Will loved it there.
*** Cohutta Springs Youth Camp has raised funds for The Will Green Cable Park, a special project in Will's memory and one of Will's dreams, which was to have a wakeboarding cable park at the camp. Not only is it named after Will Green, but through special signage, his faithfulness to God will continue to be a witness for all to see.
*** We have also set up The LiveLikeWill Fund to raise money in Will’s name for some of his other passions such as mission work, taking care of orphans, widows, and the poor. LiveLikeWill is dedicated to honoring the Life of Will Green by continuing his legacy of caring for others in a real, tangible way. To find out how you can share in his legacy and donate to this fund, please email us at livelikewilltoday@gmail.com or visit www.LiveLikeWill.Today for more information.
Thank you!! — May we all follow the legacy to LIVELIKEWILL
Thank you for visiting our website dedicated to highlighting a life worth following. You are invited to the LiveLikeWill Facebook Page, www.youtube.com/willgreen , and www.youtube.com/willgreenwakeboarding to see more about how Will lived his life and made a difference in the lives of those around him. Will’s life truly exemplified what it means to: "Love God and Love others" and he impacted the lives of so many people in just a short 23 1/2 years. Reach out to us at livelikewilltoday@gmail.com. We would love to have you share your pictures, stories, memories, posts, etc. about Will and your relationship with him. We would also love to hear how Will's story about his faithfulness has impacted you or those around you.
It is our desire that Will's life and legacy will continue to live on through your words and actions as we all strive to "Live Like Will" because we believe that he lived a life to be followed.
He put God first and never put himself above others, but humbled himself before the Lord.
Through his relationship with God, Will exuded the fruits of the spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control". (Gal. 5:22-23)
May we all continue to be blessed from knowing such a God-fearing man; and may we ALL be reunited at Jesus' soon return.