Help Aliey and Geoff

Last week we lost one of the most amazing men and friends we’ve ever known. Geoff was so many things - kind, funny, smart, nerdy in the best way, adventurous, loyal, welcoming, steadfast, hardworking, loving, honest, addicted to coffee, devoted to his family and friends - but most of all a connector. Geoff had a way of connecting people who would have otherwise never met. Not only did he connect us, he made us all friends. We met Geoff at a party in college - we must have played beer pong hundreds of times during our college years. Then we lived in the same building and saw each other getting the mail, in the office, or when we'd have dinner together. Even more serendipitous, we happened to be living across the world in Australia at the same time.

Geoff met Aliey while studying abroad. Aliey was his perfect match - loud when he was quiet, quirky when he was polished, crafting while he was engineering -  and both so charming together. Geoff was an American and Aliey an Australian. For over a decade Geoff and Aliey traveled back and forth across the world to be with one another. They worked to bridge miles, lifestyle, careers, time zone differences, and so many other obstacles for their love. They were *finally* together, on the same continent, in the same city, in love. Then Geoff's grandfather fell ill and he flew home to say goodbye. That's when COVID-19 hit and Geoff was stuck in the United States and Aliey in Australia with borders closed. They once again did distance until Geoff could return to Australia. After a 14 day quarantine in Sydney in December of 2020, they were finally reunited. We've never seen them happier. All of us "connected" by Geoff and Aliey and their love, were speculating when we'd get the "he proposed call" or even the "we eloped!" call.



Sadly, this call won't ever come. On a Sunday, while sitting at a stop light, everything changed. Their car was struck from behind while stopped at an intersection and pushed into oncoming traffic. Aliey miraculously survived the accident with only bruises and scratches, for which we are all incredibly thankful.  The driver that struck them was an elderly man that was exiting the highway at high speeds. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. There were no other fatalities. Onlookers were able to extract Aliey from the car and move her to safety, but Geoff was trapped and needed to be cut out of the vehicle. The police have remarked that it is a miracle that the car did not explode. It is believed that in those moments of being trapped in the car, Geoff's heart stopped, and his brain was without oxygen for more than 20 minutes. He was resuscitated and taken to the ICU at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he was kept on life support until, March 14, which will be the official date of his death. It was determined that he was brain-dead following the loss of oxygen to his brain during the accident. Aliey and Geoff's family made the unanimous decision that they could not allow him to languish any longer. Geoff was only 32 years old. Geoff's mother and brother were able to fly to Australia, work with government officials all along the way to secure exemptions to travel restrictions due to the pandemic, to be at his side in his final moments. Frustratingly, because of travel restriction from COVID 19,  his father Alan, and sister, Maddie, weren't able to get to Australia to and had to say goodbye over Facetime. They feel so grateful for modern technology and their ability to see him and speak to him if nothing else. 



Geoff loved adventure and helping others see the best life has to offer. In death, he has given the same - his organs have gone on to save lives - as a young man in perfect health, he has helped many people in need. In addition to his kidneys, liver, lungs, tissues and tendons being donated, his heart now beats in a 10-year old boy who can experience the kind of adventure Geoff lived for. His family, while deeply grieving, are also overjoyed to think of the moment that the boy's parents would have received the call about Geoff's heart. He has a big heart to grow into, and we know Geoff will be there to help him do.



Geoff was an Architectural Engineer, and enjoyed working as a designer of architectural lighting. He loved music, and was a talented pianist. He was an avid adventurer, and traveled the world for his work, as well as to satisfy his boundless curiosity for this world and its people. Geoff was a skilled amateur pilot, and loved flying light aircraft over the Rocky Mountains, and up and down the California coast. He was a fervent fan of the Buffaloes, the football team of his alma mater, The University of Colorado. Geoff loved people and making friends, and in his limited life gathered around him such an amazing network of people it is hardly to be believed. And more than anything else Geoff was Aliey's "Lobster" - they were soulmates in the truest sense of the word.

Aliey is a spectacular human, and will find a way to live and honor Geoff, but this wasn’t supposed to be their ending. Aliey has no idea we've created this page. She would never ask for something like this... But Aliey is a dentist at a private practice. She doesn't have paid time off, she doesn't get bereavement, and she doesn't have unlimited miles for flights. Geoff had left his engineering firm to move to Australia and finally *be* with Aliey and hadn't been working for an extended period. Over the coming months, Aliey will need time away from work - to grieve, to pay to have Geoff's belongings sent to the United States, to arrange and attend the funeral for Geoff in Australia, to fly back to the United States for his memorial . We are asking for anything you can contribute to help ease the burden for her. As the people who have been "connected" by Aliey and Geoff's, we are hoping to help make this impossible time a little less stressful. As Aliey and Geoff have friends all over the world, we want her to feel us all lifting her up and supporting here when we can't be there physically. 

When we said goodbye to Geoff over the phone, we promised him we would take care of Aliey. We let him know she would never be without all of the people they'd "connected." So we are asking you to help us make this transition easier. Today is Aliey's 30th birthday, and starting a new decade in this way was not what any of us hoped for her. 


Aliey has lost her person. We have lost our best friend. His family has lost their son and brother. Geoff was an amazing human being and set an example that we would all be wise to follow. Honor Geoff by knowing what a precious gift life is. Tomorrow is never guaranteed- so love your people with all you have and let them know. Be good to one-another. Life is precious.