John A. Shedd, American author and teacher, once wrote, “A ship in harbor is safe- but that is not what ships are built for.”

As I walked up to the memorial at the intersection at 15th and Oak, it was not hard to tell that Kelly Fulton lived a life worth remembering. The memorial was decorated with bouquet upon bouquet of flowers, some wilting, some fresh, but all beautiful. There was a bike with a sign that reads, “We love you, Kelly” and a bow tie fastened to its frame. Just driving by, this would be all you noticed; however, upon closer inspection I noticed note after note written to Mr. Fulton and his family. There was an empty plastic envelope with a pen next to it, all of the paper already used to write letters that are now in a plastic Ziploc bag reading “Notes/Cards/Love,” as if every word existing within those letters could fit neatly into one of those categories.

Mr. Fulton was struck by a car October 4th while biking to school, and passed away from his resulting injuries on October 8th at St. Vincent’s hospital in Billings. 47-year-old Bozeman resident, David Castro, ran a red light, striking Fulton. Casto, according to the Bozeman Police Department, will be charged with careless driving resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. Fulton’s death was confirmed in an email sent by the Bozeman School District to students and families on October 10th.

He taught in the math department at Bozeman High School, and was well known among students and staff as a caring and kind man. He was characterized by his bow ties, which most people seldom saw him without. In honor of him, students and athletes from both GHS and BHS wore bow ties of their own to the cross-town football game, which recorded attendance at capacity for the stadium. This collaboration was pushed through social media, and thus garnered a high amount of student participation.

It was extremely difficult to find a store that hadn’t sold out of bow ties, which in and of itself speaks volumes for how much Kelly Fulton impacted his students. Carey-Davis, a former student of Mr. Fulton, said, “He was always there. He always made me feel seen and heard [...] He helped me realize that no matter how much pain you’re in, that you can still go on and do great things with your life.”

Mr. Fulton is survived by his wife and two children. There is a GoFundMe organized by the BHS Math Department, and all of the proceeds from this will be donated directly to the Fulton family in order to provide financial aid during this difficult time.

If you’re able, visit his memorial at the intersection. Bring flowers, write a note, or simply pay your respects. It is a humbling reminder of how delicate and beautiful life truly is.

Mr. Fulton was not a harbored ship; he took his life in stride, filled with kindness and compassion. He sets a wonderful example of who we all should strive to be, and the type of impact we all should make. So I leave you with this; take your life in stride, dear reader. Bear the characteristics of patience, kindness, and compassion, and don’t remain in harbor. That is not what ships are built for.