I was so saddened upon hearing about Dr. Cockcroft’s tragic accident. My condolences and prayers are extended to the entire family. May his beautiful memories help ease some of the sadness you all must be feeling.
Warmly, Paula Kinney
Former Principal, Park Academy

The week started as any other normal week. People had enjoyed the weekend. There were wonderful conversations on Monday morning who did what during the last few days. Monday was great. Nobody knew yet that there was something wrong. Nobody at work and in the community anyway. The family knew that they were missing someone. By the next morning we all knew. He was not at work. He enjoyed the weekend, and something had happened. He did not return home. He did not come in to see his patients. He was missing. There was hope in the beginning. He was a survivor, people were hoping. I was hoping. There was hope for a little while, then this feeling sets in. He is not coming back. It has been too long. There is a moment when if you concentrate on a person you can feel their presence. I had stopped feeling that presence after a few days. Then we heard the news. They had found his body and he is really not coming back. Even though everyone knew that this was a possibility. Now it was real. He is certainly not coming back. Death spoke his final words. There is no hope, there is nothing. He died. There is shock, disbelief, anger, and a multitude of emotions sit in. How and why, this had happened? He was such a wonderful man. He took care of so many others. He was an established pillar in his community. He died so sudden. Sadness sits in. Grief hits hard. Yet, life still goes on. One thing for sure in the middle of the storm everyone faces the loss and also face the fact that this could have been me. I could have died that day. Life is fragile and precious. If he died who was so full of life and charisma anyone can die at any moment. Death is not something we think about every day. Yet in the past year there had been a lot of conversations about death. We are in the middle of a pandemic after all. There are so many deaths every day. This is different. All losses are hard, yet sudden unexpected loss seem to be the hardest. There is no time to prepare. There is no moments to hold a hand or to say goodbye. There is no chance to say the last words of love, caring or wisdom. It can be hard to face death. There is no bargaining, there is no way out. He is really gone. He will be missed greatly by his family, friends, co-workers, patients, and his community. I am grateful for all the wonderful work he had done in addictions, family practice and pain management. I hope he did not suffer. He will be missed by many.
Thank you, Dr. Cockcroft, for all you have done for so many.
May your soul and spirit rest in peace.

I knew Ben since I was about 16 years old. In recent days, always fun to get together, usually on family occasions, going to dinners and such. I remember when we were young, I was really impressed with his quick thinking abilities. Even then, I thought to myself, someday this guy's going to be a doctor, lawyer, something like that. How right I was. He had many really great qualities that complimented that vocation too. Usually smiling and fun to be around. I remember a few trips we took down to Friend's Lake, to go fishing. He always seemed to hit the jackpot there and we had a lot of fun cooking up that fish! Many years later, I actually went down the Hudson River in a raft, partially inspired by his adventurous spirit. So I was very sorry to hear about his passing. Ben was a really cool guy. He will be greatly missed.

I was lucky enough to surf with Ben as I grew up alongside his son Travis. I always remember thinking to myself how beautiful it was to see how proud travis was of his dad not only as a surfer but as a friend. We would call Ben to get the report and meet him there or tell him to meet up at the next spot. I respected their relationship so much and always thought it was so cool to see. It reminds me so much of my dad and I wether it’s surfing or snowboarding or just hanging out. I am honored to have shared waves with Ben and can’t wait to get another session with him in the next realm.

Ben was a really great guy. I didn’t know him super super personally but I knew him as a member of the surf community and as my friend April’s dad who showed me a lot of kindness and welcoming me. He always was so positive and had a smile on his face no matter what, either in the water surfing or on land. He and his family always would welcome me to their home. I surfed a secret spot with him sometime in the last few months. I remember at some point during our surf session I was too hungry so wanted to come in from surfing, so I came in and he followed. Then he said, hey, do you wanna walk down the beach (in the opposite direction of our cars) and take the rip out and then try to ride waves all the way to the sand back to where we Parked? It was a humorous idea to me because he essentially wanted to go turn around and do a big U turn just to argue to get some more surfing in. I said yes of course, haha, because he was so excited about it and I couldn’t really deny his level of stoke and we so we turned around and walked way down the beach and paddled back out the rip and did that. It was funny because I’ve never seen anyone appreciate every wave before like that—he would try to catch a wave all the way from the outside to the inside all the way in to the shore. You could tell he loved surfing so much and for the pure love of surfing, and that he carried this pure childlike joy that penetrated through anything bad around him. I am really devastated to hear that such a person that brought so much life to the world, and a father of my friends and a husband, had to go onto the next life so soon. I am so sad for his family/my friends. I do know that he is in heaven I’m sure of it! Probably surfing nonstop right now stoked out of his mind hoping that everyone here on earth will be as stoked as he is!

I don’t even know where to begin. My mom called me while I was working today and gave me the sad news. I had to pull the car over.... I am sad, shocked, devastated, and I want this to be a bad dream. Please wake me up!
I met Ben in January of 2011. I had been plagued with drug addiction and was in a very bad place in my life. Ben was warm, welcoming, and he didn’t judge me. He saw something in me that I certainly hadn’t. I had tried several times in the past to get sober and it always ended in relapse. I even went to an impatient treatment program.... still relapsed. From the moment I met Ben and started his suboxone program.... I thrived. Ben was always kind, warm, and supportive. If he needed to be stern he would. He was strict but fair. I couldn’t believe it.... I never looked back and last month on January 12th I celebrated 10 years clean and sober. None of it would have been possible without Dr. Cockcroft. He pushed me to be better. He motivated me to want to be better. I remember he got a little emotional when I celebrated 1 year sober. He was so proud of me. Today, I am proud of the man I have become. I have a great job, I take care of my mom who is also a patient of Bens, and I am a contributing member of our community. I owe it all to Dr. Benjamin Cockcroft and I will never forget him. My heart, thoughts, prayers, and love go out to his wife and kids. Your husband/dad was truly a human angel who saved my life and I am honored to have known him.
Damon Thor Skogseth

PS: I had to mention this...about 6 years ago I had a terrible hand injury and had to have 2 surgeries on it. The pharmacy had screwed up my prescription and I called Bens office. I had to leave a message but within 20 minutes he was at my work with prescription in hand. It was a Friday and he worried I wouldn’t have my medicine over the weekend. That is the kind of guy he was. I will miss him.