Eric Lawrence Blind, 24, of Miles City died at his home in Billings on the morning of Friday, March 6, 2009.He was born on Sept. 7, 1984, in Cupar, Saskatchewan, the son of Greg L. Blind and Audrey Haumschild of Miles City. He attended grade school in Cupar, moving to Miles City at the age of 10 and graduating from Custer County District High School in 2002.During his years in high school, he worked at Ace Hardware and excelled in a variety of sports such as soccer and hockey. Continuing his love for hockey, Eric coached the Miles City Generals after high school and in 2005, helped lead his team to a win at the state championship in Billings.After graduating high school, Eric attended the University of Regina and Miles City Community College. In 2006, he started his career at Sanjel in the oil field industry, working on the frac crew.

Eric loved spending time with his family and friends, and especially enjoyed hunting, the outdoors, and riding his street and dirt bikes. He also loved to draw, everything from wildlife, still photos, as well as various tattoo designs for him and his friends. Eric also enjoyed writing and would often write many poems and short stories.

Of Eric’s hunting and outdoor experiences his mother Audrey Haumschild wrote:

“Eric loved to hunt and was always willing to share his love of the outdoors with others. He took his first deer at age 12 in 2006. He especially liked taking young hunters on their first turkey hunts; with Eric doing the calling and them doing the shooting. I was able to go along with Eric on a hunt in 2008 and had a so much fun just watching him and seeing his big smile. I will never forget the special memories we made on that trip. Eric has a heart of gold and I bet he will be right there on every Big Hearts under the Big Sky hunt involving special kids. I just know he would want to be part of that”

Eric is survived by his father, Greg L. Blind, and his mother, Audrey Haumschild, of Miles City and his step-father, Keith Haumschild; his two brothers, Evan Blind and Trevor Watson of Miles City; his sister, Melissa Blind, his grandparents Tony and Elsie Benko of Cupar, Saskatchewan; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

The Big Hearts under the Big Sky Memorial made in Eric’s name has allowed others who face a life-threatening illness or have provided extraordinary military service to our Nation the opportunity to seek healing in Montana’s great outdoors.