Helena Thornfeldt RIP

D

darshan27

Darshan27
Sad news. I saw her play at the Huebler Classic in Seattle back in 1995. The tournament was at Jillian's on Lake Union and they had a section upstairs sectioned off for the tournament tables. (I think it was 6-8)

Because of the location, sound carried with echo and reverb so if someone had a hard break, you had to cover your ears in anticipation. I remembered when Helena and Jennifer Chen broke, half the crowd would cover their ears because they knew they were going to hear a loud crack! Between matches, Helena could be seen talking with various people in the crowd and she was always laughing and happily giving advice, even if she had just completed a match.

She will be missed.
 
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F

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wow. So few posts here about Helena. Well, if you're so inclined, you can go to my FaceBook page and read my tribute to her. She was one of the best women players of her time and one of the best people you ever want to meet. We lost a real gem.
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
FranCrimi said:
Wow. So few posts here about Helena. Well, if you're so inclined, you can go to my FaceBook page and read my tribute to her. She was one of the best women players of her time and one of the best people you ever want to meet. We lost a real gem.
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How about posting it here, Fran....many AZers stay away from FB
 
F

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
FOR HELENA

I must admit that one of the things I didn’t do well on tour was facing off against the arrogant ones. I know that in being a professional, it shouldn’t have bothered me. I wasn’t intimidated by them, but their psychological maneuvers were so ridiculously obvious that it was distracting.

Like the time my opponent wore such strong perfume that I couldn’t breathe throughout the entire match. I knew the player’s MO. It wasn’t an accident. Or the opponent who ran into the arena just before our match deadline time and then asked me to help zip her up.

“No. I’m your opponent. I’m not going to help you get dressed 30 seconds before our match.”

Friends told me to just suck it up. Their arrogance was part of what made them champions, they said.

Then along came Helena Thornfeldt. She quickly became my hero--- my idol on the tour. She had the kindest, sweetest, most caring personality that one could imagine, and at the same time she was plowing through the arrogant ones, match after match, like a buzz saw. It was a beautiful sight. She was poetic justice.

I used to love watching her matches ---- especially watching her opponents start to squirm when she found her rhythm. Helena was a feel payer --- A natural of the most dangerous kind; and once her rhythm kicked-in, all her opponent could do was sit and watch.

The arrogant ones would try their tricks, but it only wound up backfiring on them and making them look stupid. No one’s silly psych moves were going to stop Helena when she was in the zone.

I got to know her a little more when 5 of us decided to head out to Hawaii a week early for a tour stop at Hawaiian Brian’s. It was a fun week of sight-seeing, the beach, great food. Helena was kind, warm, friendly and funny. Not one bad bone in her body. Not one.
Zilch.
Zero.

I know that some people took advantage of her goodness and kindness over the years. I hope those people had time to regret their actions and to apologize to her.

Our pool world and our planet were better places because Helena was in them. Things got just a tad darker when we lost her.

Rest in peace, Helena. I know you are flying with the angels.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
FranCrimi said:
FOR HELENA

I must admit that one of the things I didn’t do well on tour was facing off against the arrogant ones. I know that in being a professional, it shouldn’t have bothered me. I wasn’t intimidated by them, but their psychological maneuvers were so ridiculously obvious that it was distracting.

Like the time my opponent wore such strong perfume that I couldn’t breathe throughout the entire match. I knew the player’s MO. It wasn’t an accident. Or the opponent who ran into the arena just before our match deadline time and then asked me to help zip her up.

“No. I’m your opponent. I’m not going to help you get dressed 30 seconds before our match.”

Friends told me to just suck it up. Their arrogance was part of what made them champions, they said.

Then along came Helena Thornfeldt. She quickly became my hero--- my idol on the tour. She had the kindest, sweetest, most caring personality that one could imagine, and at the same time she was plowing through the arrogant ones, match after match, like a buzz saw. It was a beautiful sight. She was poetic justice.

I used to love watching her matches ---- especially watching her opponents start to squirm when she found her rhythm. Helena was a feel payer --- A natural of the most dangerous kind; and once her rhythm kicked-in, all her opponent could do was sit and watch.

The arrogant ones would try their tricks, but it only wound up backfiring on them and making them look stupid. No one’s silly psych moves were going to stop Helena when she was in the zone.

I got to know her a little more when 5 of us decided to head out to Hawaii a week early for a tour stop at Hawaiian Brian’s. It was a fun week of sight-seeing, the beach, great food. Helena was kind, warm, friendly and funny. Not one bad bone in her body. Not one.
Zilch.
Zero.

I know that some people took advantage of her goodness and kindness over the years. I hope those people had time to regret their actions and to apologize to her.

Our pool world and our planet were better places because Helena was in them. Things got just a tad darker when we lost her.

Rest in peace, Helena. I know you are flying with the angels.
Click to expand...

Thank you Fran. I couldn't have said it better.
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I said thanx with a greenie....but I will do it publicly also..great post..sad but sweet
 
G

Ginofalaci

New member
So sad.

I've read somewhere on her Facebook, or on her restaurant's page, someone said, "she took her life". Seems to be the most likely hypothesis, but I know nothing special or more.This comment was with a few other comments seems to have been written by people working in the pizza restaurant, they have been deleted since then. No idea why.
O share this, because so many times people died way to early, and nobody dare to ask why. Most of the time this means suicide, when its an accident, or illness they say it.
One more time I personally knows nothing, just that its very sad, and that she will be greatly missed.
May you Rest In Peace Helena.
 
Brookeland Bill

Brookeland Bill

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
FranCrimi said:
FOR HELENA

I must admit that one of the things I didn’t do well on tour was facing off against the arrogant ones. I know that in being a professional, it shouldn’t have bothered me. I wasn’t intimidated by them, but their psychological maneuvers were so ridiculously obvious that it was distracting.

Like the time my opponent wore such strong perfume that I couldn’t breathe throughout the entire match. I knew the player’s MO. It wasn’t an accident. Or the opponent who ran into the arena just before our match deadline time and then asked me to help zip her up.

“No. I’m your opponent. I’m not going to help you get dressed 30 seconds before our match.”

Friends told me to just suck it up. Their arrogance was part of what made them champions, they said.

Then along came Helena Thornfeldt. She quickly became my hero--- my idol on the tour. She had the kindest, sweetest, most caring personality that one could imagine, and at the same time she was plowing through the arrogant ones, match after match, like a buzz saw. It was a beautiful sight. She was poetic justice.

I used to love watching her matches ---- especially watching her opponents start to squirm when she found her rhythm. Helena was a feel payer --- A natural of the most dangerous kind; and once her rhythm kicked-in, all her opponent could do was sit and watch.

The arrogant ones would try their tricks, but it only wound up backfiring on them and making them look stupid. No one’s silly psych moves were going to stop Helena when she was in the zone.

I got to know her a little more when 5 of us decided to head out to Hawaii a week early for a tour stop at Hawaiian Brian’s. It was a fun week of sight-seeing, the beach, great food. Helena was kind, warm, friendly and funny. Not one bad bone in her body. Not one.
Zilch.
Zero.

I know that some people took advantage of her goodness and kindness over the years. I hope those people had time to regret their actions and to apologize to her.

Our pool world and our planet were better places because Helena was in them. Things got just a tad darker when we lost her.

Rest in peace, Helena. I know you are flying with the angels.
Click to expand...

Very well said. I remember when you were at Corner Billiards years ago. Where are you now?
 
Badbeat13

Badbeat13

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sorry to hear the sad news. Had the pleasure of seeing her
in Atlanta a few times. Thoughts, prayers, and condolences
to the family and friends.
 
R

RADAR

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thoughts & prayers for her and family. she was a kind soul.Any details as how she passed? No one seams to know.
 
S

Sweatin'

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
RADAR said:
Thoughts & prayers for her and family. she was a kind soul.Any details as how she passed? No one seams to know.
Click to expand...

I heard third hand from a normally reliable middle tier pro player in GA who knew her that she was despondent over a relationship issue and subsequently took her own life. He also said she owned a pool hall and other accounts indicate it was a restaurant, so there's that.

Please don't take that as the gospel unless it's confirmed elsewhere, but I suppose it does somewhat comport with the lack of details to the contrary.

Sorry about the oxymoron in my first sentence.
 
F

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sweatin' said:
I heard third hand blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Please don't take that as the gospel but boy I sure love to gossip, don't I?

Sorry about the oxymoron in my first sentence.
Click to expand...

Third hand, eh? Definitely worth posting, huh?

Did you say moron? Yep.
 
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Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Sweatin' said:
I heard third hand from a normally reliable middle tier pro ...

Please don't take that as the gospel.
Click to expand...

Again, lack of reports here or otherwise is to give the family and loved ones some kind of sense of privacy. There is absolutely no reason any of us should give an answer to this question. None.
 
HouTexPlayer

HouTexPlayer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I had met her once several years ago and she was a very nice lady who took time out of her evening to exchange a few words with a total stranger/fan.

How she passed is a private subject that should be left to be discussed by her family - honoring how she lived and played the game that we all love is something that we can and should do here.
 
lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cornerman said:
Again, lack of reports here or otherwise is to give the family and loved ones some kind of sense of privacy. There is absolutely no reason any of us should give an answer to this question. None.
Click to expand...


BS.

Anthony Bourdain took his life as did Robin Williams and regrettably, many, many other folks. If it was suicide -- or whatever the reason -- it should not be swept under the rug as if someone died under unspeakable circumstances or disease. We're all in this together and and perhaps there is help for the next person suffering from the same issues if we pull back the curtain of "shame" which is in reality, more accurately, pain. Silence only makes the problem worse.

Lou Figueroa
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
There is no hurry for information here. Let's all allow for the possibility that the cause of death is still under investigation or that Helena's loved ones wish to withhold this information for now.

Helena is gone and we're all greatly disheartened by the news. I knew her well, and probably shared a meal with her on at least 20 occasions. She taught me a few things about pool, too, in the late 1990's, so I count her as one of my influences.

As a US Open 9-ball Champion, though, Helena is not a private figure but a public one. Her story will be told at some point ... or will it? So many of us recall the death of 1979 US Open Champion "St Louis Louie" Roberts in the early 1990's, and has the full story of Louie's death ever been told? I'd say it hasn't.

Speaking on a more personal level, if Helena died from a condition, illness, or disease soon to be identified, I would like to honor her memory by making a substantial charitable donation to an organization that is focused on helping those unfortunate enough to have to face the associated challenges. I'm sure others in the world of pool would wish to do the same.

But, as noted, all of this can wait and we must all respect the choice of those closer to the situation. Even if their choice is to permanently keep the cause of Helena's death private, that's their prerogative.

Patience is a virtue ... and it's called for on this sad occasion.
 
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