Former East Ridge state wrestling champ Dirk Holland vanquished every foe his senior year in 1977, seldom scored upon and seldom taken off his feet.
But in the past six years he had met his match – two neck operations which caused disability, followed by terminal brain cancer.
Known to his younger brother Kevin as “Little Tarzan”, Dirk Holland died early Tuesday morning at his home in Clemmons, N.C. leaving behind a wife (Karen) and daughter (Brittany). He was 52.
Funeral Arrangements
Thurs, Jan 26 … 2 p.m.
Fairmont Presbyterian Church
1436 Cotton Grove Rd
Lexington, NC 27292
The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. at the church.
“Dirk worked hard to be a good wrestler and knew it was a tough sport, but he never took it too seriously,” said Kevin, 50, who wrestled for Knox. Halls and East Ridge.
“Dirk had a great attitude about wrestling and life and much of the time had a smile on his face even in the last days before he died.”
The oldest of four brothers(all of whom as full-blooded Cherokee Indians) – three of whom wrestled – Dirk, was a starter and state qualifier as a sophomore on the East Ridge state championship team of 1975 coached by Mike Parker.
“We had a strong, veteran team that year and for a sophomore to be able to make that team tells you a lot about Dirk,” said Parker who wrestled on the East Ridge state championship teams of 1966 and 1967.
The 1975 team’s words to live by were “always finish on top” as Parker pushed them to be the best.
Parker recalled a match where Dirk had a comfortable lead and was on bottom in the closing seconds, but then reversed his opponent and rode him out for the win.
“When he came off the mat he smiled at me and said, ’I knew you wanted me to finish on top,’” Parker stated.
“I visited him last spring in his home in North Carolina and we had a good laugh about that match.”
After high school, Holland wrestled for two years at Tennessee for head coach Gray Simon and assistant coach Ethan Reeve.
“Dirk was one tough guy who loved to train and work out,” said Reeve who is the Director of Sports Performance at Wake Forest University.
“He was a great person who loved life. He will be missed.”
Raised in a Christian home, he viewed the spiritual aspect of life with much more importance than anything he could accomplish in athletics.
Unable to attend church since late fall due to the brain cancer, he organized and led a Bible study in his home on Sundays the past three months so as to help others.
“Dirk was always interested in people’s relationship with the Lord and was bold n his faith which is a tribute to him, and of course, in the way the Lord worked in his life,” Kevin stated.
“Even last night with only a couple of hours to live and with fluid coming out of his head due to the cancer he wanted, above all else, for people to have a relationship with Dirk’s Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Power of Prayer
Kevin recalls the time when his older brother relied on the importance of prayer.
A few years ago, Kevin and his wife (Bo Yu Holland) had done about all they could to find an apartment, but to no avail.
“Dirk was driving us around and before we looked at the next apartment he led us in prayer asking the Lord to lead us to the right place to live.”
The managers let us sign the lease with no references and no credit background and even today the managers say my wife is their favorite tenant,” Kevin stated.
“Since that time, Bo (raised in a Buddhist home in China), has become a Christian through Dirk’s life and testimony and has led several of her family members to the Lord as well.”
Though Dirk Holland was knocked off his feet many times by life’s tough blows, he wore a smile to the end and as coach Parker noted, “he finished life on top.”
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” – Matthew 25:23
Amen.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net