Celebrate Eva's Legacy: Fund Her Memorial Sculpture

Our Fundraising Purpose:

We are currently fundraising to build a beautiful sculpture in memory of Eva Schrank.

A sculpture of Eva has been commissioned by Scott Foster, prominent sculptor of the Portland Oregon area who is related to the Foster family that founded River Falls. The sculpture is based off of a photo taken of Eva at the University Drag Show in the fall of 2021. Eva is in her element, joyfully strutting down the catwalk in high heel boots and wearing a set of luminous fairy wings. She is looking playfully over her shoulder as she strides with power and assurance of who she was. The purpose of the sculpture is two-fold: to both honor the beautiful and impactful life that Eva led, and to begin an important conversation about mental health and depression, which threaten the lives of too many beloved people in our midst.

The initial round of funds that people donated at Eva’s passing was put toward the first installment paid to our sculptor, Scott Foster. We are fundraising to be able to pay for the second half of the project which is $5,000.

The finished product will be a testament to Eva’s beautiful and accomplished life. Eva’s whimsy and strength will be evident in the sculpture, and it will be displayed in a public place that is yet to be determined. As you spend time with Eva’s sculpture, you will have a safe place to feel all the complex emotions that go with death by suicide. Hopefully, we will all experience healing and achieve some peace in the presence of this beautiful sculpture as well.

Overview of Eva’s Life and Legacy:

Eva Lindsey Schrank was a beautiful and talented person who lived fully and abundantly in everything that she did. She leaves behind a legacy of powerful art, heartfelt and stirring dance, and a legacy of love and acceptance for all people. Eva was an accomplished scholar, artist, and dancer, and a loving family member and loyal friend to many. Her life was rich and it mattered.

Eva’s Beautiful Life: Talents and Passions:

Dance: Dance was the love of Eva’s life, and it began at the tender age of 2 and continued throughout middle school, high school, and into her college career at UW-RF. In her 9 years of dancing at St. Croix Valley Dance Academy in Baldwin , she found an outlet for her energy, joy in movement, and need to belong to a family of dancers. She excelled at tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, and musical theater dance styles and became a valuable and beloved member of numerous accomplished competitive dance lines. She was happiest when she was leaping, spinning, and contributing to her team’s wins in many competitions. She was invited to become first an assistant dance instructor and then a full instructor, working with young children and instilling them with confidence and joy in movement. She was a gifted instructor and was greatly loved by teammates, instructors, and the young dancers she taught. In her first year at UW-RF, Eva joined Dance Theater and immediately found her niche as a contemporary dancer. Eva often said that contemporary dance was her true love; this was evident in every passionate, skilled, and beautiful performance that Eva gave. Anyone who was fortunate enough to see Eva dance in person can testify to the grace and impact she had as a dancer. She left it all on the stage. Eva spent her last two years of college serving as President of Dance Theater. While in that post, Eva’s legacy was that of increasing the technical abilities of all dancers while also creating an environment in which all dancers, regardless of their body type, experience, or sexual orientation, could feel seen, safe, and valued.

Art: Eva’s love of art began in middle school and was fine-tuned throughout high school and into college. While in college at UW-RF, Eva grew in the artistic abilities that she had explored in middle and high school. She thrived at UW-RF, finding in her art instructors and colleagues the knowledge and inspiration she needed to establish her niche as an impactful contemporary painter.

Involvement in the LGBTQ community: While in college, Eva identified as non-binary, and she found a home in a loving and accepting community of young people. She brought her love, dedication, and knowledge of dance to the University Drag Show where she performed four times and served as a Co- Emcee at two performances. She was at home on the catwalk, strutting with confidence, sass, and self-love. It was such a joy to see Eva in her element: shining and exuding joy.

Eva’s Friendships:

As a teenager, Eva had many friends that she enjoyed goofing around with and growing up with. She was known for her ability to make any situation fun and funny and for her hearty laugh that was bigger than her slight frame.

“Eva was the kind of person that always made your day brighter and honestly I like to think that she is still doing that from up above. I’ll always remember her as the friend that made me feel most alive. As I was talking to our friend group we all agree that when we now get together it feels as if a piece is missing.

Eva was always nice to everyone. She didn’t judge, didn’t stereotype and could fit in with just about any “group” there was. She was a literal ray of sunshine. Even though Eva was going through things she always wanted to help others with their problems first.

From dance, to childhood friends, and the group of us four, she was always making a positive impact on the lives of those around her with the way she portrayed friendship.

I personally will always remember days of driving in my car, choreographing silly dances, going out to eat and staying up watching movies. For those couple of years there really wasn’t much we wouldn’t do together. The group chat would have a dozen messages everyday and we were all so connected. After Eva passed the three of us revisited all of the messages and pictures that were shared. Through lots of tears and laughter we remembered everything about Eva that made her Eva. Some words that come to mind are fearless, confident, passionate, loyal, diligent, compassionate, dynamic and giving.

I can speak for all of Eva’s friends in saying that she is deeply missed. This sculpture is one way that her legacy can continue to live on while giving a light to others who are struggling with the darkness that is mental illness. Love you always, Eva.”

Camryn

Eva’s Family Relationships:

Eva is loved greatly and missed profoundly by her mother, Nancy, and father, Jason, her younger brother, Calvin, as well as all her loving grandparents, aunts and uncles, and both older and younger cousins. Eva made daily life fun by dancing around the house, loving up all her feline friends, and making funny voices and jokes. We all have funny inside jokes and memories with Eva and fondly remember family trips, concert experiences, and holidays filled with love and laughter. She left behind a legacy of loving us and her cats in her own unique and powerful way.

Eva’s Struggles with Depression and Mental Illness:

Beneath the surface of this talented, accomplished, and seemingly joyous artist and performer, however, lurked persistent depression, tendencies toward self-loathing and self harm, and mental illness in the form of bipolar disorder. For the last 10 years of Eva’s life, she experienced intense periods of mania, depression, and anxiety and received extensive treatment in the forms of individual and group therapy and, of course, medication. The struggle was real and it had a profound effect on Eva’s daily mental health and outlook. Eva developed coping mechanisms to help her manage these conditions, and among them art and dance as outlets and mood-enhancers were key. In Eva’s solo dances and even in her final Senior Showcase performance, Eva attempted to make public their inner storms and pain. These performances could be difficult to watch and understand to the majority of people who either do not know mental health struggles or for those who did not know that Eva struggled. It is key to note that Eva was tired of struggling and keeping up appearances; she wanted the world to know that her mental illness was a big part of who she was and what made her a complex and real person. Depression is a killer, and it is what clouded Eva’s thinking and caused her to make the singular most fatal and irrevocable choice of her life: to end her soul’s journey in this world.

A Thank You to all Potential Supporters:

Thank you so much for reading this and for considering donating to Eva’s sculpture. Together we can Keep Dancing.