Bennett Rhodes

Liz Karp Bennett Charles Rhodes

Liz Karp Bennett Charles Rhodes

Liz Karp Early business partners

Liz Karp This was an amazing dog. When Bennett was born we rescued him, he was 2 and about 125 lbs. One day we were pushing Bennett on a swing in the yard and he came at us with full force, leaping straight at us... And caught a bee near Bennett. Another time, Mark walked up on a wood pile and got himself over a fence at about 3 years old... this dog, Blue, went right after him and stayed with him until we got there. Once in Nantucket a toddler of a family staying with us wandered off and into the Moors - thicket. Blue went and stayed with little Matthew too... He was one of those unique dogs that knew how to protect kids.

Liz Karp Maybe 10 months old, Cape May, NJ

Liz Karp Cooking with grandma

Liz Karp Family photo

Liz Karp Bennett's first birthday party at Pop's house in New Jersey

Liz Karp First Halloween

Liz Karp Early business meeting with Dad

Liz Karp Early turtle ride on mom.

Liz Karp Computer training, 2 years old

Liz Karp Bennett's room - was painted to match the scenes outside the windows, even the horse fencing lined up perfectly

Liz Karp every chance we got, we headed into the ocean.

Liz Karp his first car

Liz Karp This must have been Nantucket or Cape May, NJ when Bennett was 2

Liz Karp Sarasota, FL on uncle Jack's boat

Liz Karp Maybe 3 years old - Cincinnati

Liz Karp Riding bare back on Aunt Mary's Arabian with a cousin

Liz Karp Photos about 3-4 years old

Liz Karp Early summers in Nantucket

Liz Karp Bennett's 3rd Birthday we drove to Chicago to see his favorite group from TV

Liz Karp Skiing with a lot of cousins, Brekenridge

Liz Karp Playing with Aunt Aggie and Driving with Aunt Stella

Liz Karp Nantucket

Liz Karp kitchen

Liz Karp We rescued a huge black lab, named Blue. He pulled the sled around the yard and all the kids loved it.

Liz Karp One time we surprised Aunt Stella and Grandma Stella (now 102!)

Liz Karp Mark, Bennett and friend Fabien

Liz Karp Bennett became an accomplished magician over some years...he loved it

Liz Karp I took Bennett on some trips just the two of us - this was New York City. We saw Zathura on a huge 73' screen at Lincoln Center. Great trip!

Liz Karp When we stayed at places without costumes, we just made our own

Liz Karp He always loved music

Liz Karp Christmas at the Greenbrier

Liz Karp Pre K or Kindgergarten at Cincinnati Country Day School

Liz Karp Maybe 4th birthday

Mark Molnar Bennett's first visit to Colorado.. Thanksgiving with his cousins, 2004

Liz Karp Bennett, friend Nicholas and Mark at Greenbrier

Liz Karp One of the things not many people would know is that we had a whole costume closet. This day Bennett was a pirate, Mark was a ninja. I was regularly a pink power ranger.

Liz Karp First Bike

Liz Karp Playing with Pops

Liz Karp Learning to surf

Liz Karp Pirates Bennett and Nicholas

Liz Karp Back yard fun with dad

Liz Karp Surfing Coronado

Liz Karp First time out!

Liz Karp Bennett and Mark

Liz Karp This was Bennett's first time surfing, in Coronado, CA. He became great at many board sports, skate boards, wake boards, snow boards, surfing and stand-up paddle boarding. We daydreamed about fly-boarding. Other than his martial arts zone from earlier years, he was in his later zone with surfing, many days coming home after surfing with his friend Andrew and the stories of what he did out there, especially the first time he was able to hang ten, each time he saw a shark, and many times comical efforts in teaching another friend, Amir, who eventually became a surfer. Like golf, there is a lot of etiquette and he was really tuned in. Amir, as I recall, lived with us the last year before college . Well, Bennett loved of all those board sports, and no one else in the family was any good at them so he had to figure that out on his own. We shared my car, he went to school and I worked so he woke up quietly at 4am, took my car, met up with friends on the ocean, and returned the car without a grain of sand, showered off and when he could, slept a few more hours. His joy was that time with friends, that ocean, and something about San Diego, he said was his place as was mine. When he moved to Los Angeles we thought he would surf Malibu but it was too hard. So, he came home often from college to surf, spend time home and see friends. We tried for two weekends a month, him coming here or me going there.

Liz Karp Bennett and first best friend, Patrick Patrick and his family are just amazing. I'll never know how the planets aligned and Bennett was so lucky to meet Patrick, they just laughed nonstop - the had their own sort of radio frequency. And, their laughter was so electric, so contagious, it was undeniable. I'm sure one of the biggest losses in Bennett's life was having to leave Patrick. He is a fine young man these days.

Liz Karp Mark was the big tennis player in our house, but early on, Bennett was good too...thanks Coach Mike!!!

Liz Karp Bennett and Mark playing tennis

Liz Karp We spend a LOT of time on Pokemon.

Liz Karp Fun fact: Bennett loved acting and had an agent. He was in a number of Jerome's Furniture commercials when he was 8-12 years old. He loved getting little checks in the mail and had no idea that the clothes we bought for him to show up to the shoots with (he had to bring several options) probably cost way more than he earned, but he loved it and thought about acting in sitcoms when he was young...

Liz Karp One of Bennett's photos for his acting agent

Liz Karp Trip to Kuwait, Bahrain, Dubai

Liz Karp Evans School

Liz Karp Cub Scouts - that was a fun chapter

Liz Karp Huge accomplishment - trained with monks in rural china, he loved it there and thought about spending a year as a monk there.

Liz Karp Trip to Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain

Liz Karp Happy times

Andrew Gunderson 2009/10/11 cousin time

Liz Karp Thanks to tennis coach, Marc Assaraf, Bennett decided on martial arts at 9 years old, he trained under Sensei Miller at USSD for many years

Liz Karp Bennett flying to Dubai, Kuwait & Bahrain on Emirates

Liz Karp The Kuwaitis LOVE Americans for freeing them from Saddam Hussein, they LOVED this little American for wanting to dress in their traditional attire...

Liz Karp Saudi Arabian Causeway from Bahrain

Liz Karp Creative photo by his brother, Mark

Liz Karp Bennett loved science and chemistry - this was the science center in Kuwait

Liz Karp Tree of Life, Bahrain This amazing tree survives in an absolute desert and no one knows how. Bennett spent time in Dubai, Kuwait and Bahrain 2009-2011

Liz Karp Swimming with Dolphins at the Atlantis in Dubai

Liz Karp Bennett and a dolphin

Liz Karp Family photo, maybe 2010

Liz Karp We always tried to find a Hardrock Cafe

Liz Karp Welcome to Kuwait!

Liz Karp Waterpark, Bahrain

Liz Karp Bennett and Mark with their dad, David

Liz Karp I think it was a regular day - this day he was in cammo

Liz Karp He could never resist a costume

Liz Karp Bennett and Jared, amazing friends in middle school

Liz Karp Thanks to music teacher, Michael Ball, Bennett learned well...

Liz Karp History trip to Concord & Lexington

Liz Karp Bennett - Harvard Pump on history tour with Grandma and Mom

Liz Karp "Whip Chain" - wowed the crowds with this one at 11

Liz Karp Photo bombed in Tiananman square Beijing

Liz Karp Ancient Shaolin Temple, birthplace of kung fu 1600 years ago - with grandma who knew all the ancient history and Bennett putting it into motion

Lillian Greeley Bennett Training at the Ancient Shaolin Temple, Deng Feng China

Liz Karp "Whip Chain" perfoming at a school in PB when he was 11

Liz Karp Ancient Shaolin Temple, China. Bo staff. Early training. Bennett commanded this and had a collection of them over time. Thanks, Matt Mattera.

Liz Karp Shanghai, evening boat ride

Liz Karp One of MANY Evans School performances with friends Marcus and Jared

Liz Karp Bennett and Mark

Liz Karp Grandma's 70th Birthday Peking Duck House, Beijing.

Liz Karp Bennett at the Great Wall of China, Beijing.

Liz Karp Grandma, Mark, Mom, Bennett, Great Wall of China.

Liz Karp Bennett Great Wall

Liz Karp Evans School - Little Mermaid Performance?

Liz Karp Pierre, Bennett's Dog

Liz Karp This memory is thanks to close friend, Bijan. Some friends from La Jolla Country Day School heading out on a field trip...

Liz Karp Parasailing, San Diego. Fun.

Liz Karp There is nothing I wouldn't give to see that smile again.

Liz Karp USSD Pacific Beach

Liz Karp Bennett had some mentors, one of them Brent Murakami who inspired him to learn "whip chain" - I don't have a good video of him doing it but he did it. No one did it as well as Brent but Bennett was impressive. If you look up this you can see.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ENGCBGHMNI

Liz Karp We always did a hike on Mother's Day or my birthday. This was Cowles Mountain

Grace Back Bennett in Del Mar enjoying the last few days of summer with friends, family and Lindsey's new puppy Blue.

Liz Karp This is part of Bennett's martial arts story...all his belt advancements through USSD, except he also had a red belt for teaching. But when he got to black belt, he started again at zero with no status at the San Diego Shaolin Temple under monk, Yan To. He was working his way to an even higher level when the car accident happened...

Lillian Greeley Middle School graduation and electric guitar, 2008

Lillian Greeley Bennett tournament

Liz Karp Many martial arts trophies - he was so passionate about it, and seriously thought about spending a year training at the ancient Shaolin Temple. He couldn't continue after his car accident in 2016, but it was an amazing chapter thanks to Marc Assaraf for inspiration to do it.

Rabbi Zevi New Bennett organized the donation and collection of tens of used surfboards to benefit underprivileged youth all over the world. He was so proud of himself and the organization. Bennett also loved to wrap the tefillin - philacteries - that bound his heart and mind in prayer on occasion.

Liz Karp Bennett and Hunter zip-lining, Catalina

Liz Karp Arland Barron was a very famous animator, he had been with Warner Brothers for 30 years, with a resume that goes from here to forever - little bit of it here. Bennett was so bright that we started him in school early, but by third grade his fine motor skills like handwriting were lagging. By chance I met Arland when Bennett was 7 and then every Saturday night for three years he came and taught drawing at my kitchen table, with tea and Madeline cookies. Bennett quickly became good at writing and drawing, and Arland was like a grandfather figure in our house. His last work was these illustrations for a children's book I wrote, called The Tale of Queen Jehan and the Three Kingdoms. He was a great figure in Bennett's life.

Lillian Greeley Bennett taught martial arts for 4 years in USSD - at Pacific Beach then Redondo Beach and Beverly Hills.

Lillian Greeley Black Belt!!!

Liz Karp Maybe 2016

Lillian Greeley 2016 High Kick

Liz Karp Gibby, Bennett and Ethan Gibby was like a brother to both Mark and Bennett, like a nephew to me. Our families are very close. Bennett was blessed to have trusted friends. Gibby and Bennett were roommates his first year of college.

Liz Karp Someone with Ethan with Bennett

Lillian Greeley Childrens Hospital Performance 2017 - Ronald MacDonald House

Liz Karp Valentine's Day at Eddie V's in La Jolla - Bennett said "get dressed up, Mom, I'm taking you out to your favorite restaurant for Valentines Day"

Liz Karp Bennett was in the passenger seat of this car, the accident caused a brain bleed and all kinds of problems that were horrible. Many people didn't know he survived such a crash, but it cost him so much.

Lillian Greeley Bennett and Sarah

Liz Karp La Jolla Bennett and Mom at dinner

Liz Karp Mumbai with Mom 2017

Liz Karp Bennett's favorite animal was his dog, Pierre. But since he was very little he collected seals. He still had the first two he got and named them Seal and Sesealia.

Liz Karp Coco Shambala, Sindurugh

Liz Karp We learned to play snooker, like billiards at the Mumbai Yacht Club.

Liz Karp Coco Shambala: this was taken in the south jungle of India in Sindhudurg, a few hours south of Goa. The ride to get to there from Goa is quite an adventure in itself. They kept warning us to close our doors at night or the leopards and big cats would be "curious", but he was respectful of their world and never had fear. Looking back, maybe, having trained with the monks at the ancient Shaolin Temple in China, birthplace of martial arts 1600 years ago where the art of self defense emerged as defensive tactics against wild animals, he had some quiet comfort and confidence. In that jungle, they told us only the big cats that would try to eat us were old, when they get too old to run fast enough to catch better food. Here he was training in martial arts and beach.

Liz Karp These are from an India trip with mom and his close friend, Ethan. He loved Mumbai, particularly Gandhi's personal library

Liz Karp Bennett's birthday dinner, Eddie V's La Jolla

Liz Karp Ferry in San Diego

Liz Karp Mother's Day Little Italy

Liz Karp One of my favorite memories, Mark and Bennett singing in home studio

Liz Karp Bennett, his dog, Pierre and Mom

Liz Karp High School Graduation, Del Norte (day after he had his wisdom teeth out)

Liz Karp Family reunion, some cousins

Liz Karp Thanksgiving, 2018

Liz Karp Bennetts music persona, "Beanie"

Liz Karp Bennett, March 2019

Liz Karp Bennett loved this place in Lahaina. His friend Dillon's mom had once worked there we found out. Big crabs were coming out of the ocean and walking around our feet...

Liz Karp Bennett always wanted to go to Hawaii. He learned the culture and some of the language. He was good at languages, he once signed himself up for Japanese school at 9 years old and.

Liz Karp Mokule-ia Beach, Maui

Liz Karp Maui Surfing

Liz Karp Lahaina, Maui, May, 2019 Bennett sat down and drew a crowd, owner offered him a job on the spot :)

Liz Karp Maui - every morning Bennett surfed a different beach, he brought me back to this one for sunset I think was Peahi, "Jaws" beach

Liz Karp Surfing with Friends Del Mar, CA. This was a fun one because in all his years of surfing I had never seen him do it, he went out very early mornings but this day I went and walked on the beach and got to sit and watch. The photo is interesting because in front of the four young friends were a group of four much older friends walking in their 60's. They laughed that they would be like that.

Liz Karp Bennett and Andrew Surfing, Del Mar

Liz Karp Bennett and Andi DZ Akins

Liz Karp DZ Akins

Liz Karp Bennett had a beautiful, full life of love, light, joy, hope, humor, belly laughs, teaching things, treasured memories, and sweetness. He had a big brain, peaceful calm about him, and brought hard work, amazing intellect, curiosity, creativity, imagination. He gave hugs, care, concern, respect, trust, support, effort, and lots of time to others. He had resilience, patience and was very achievement oriented. He was best known for his kindnesses, friendships, quick wit, music, surfing, and traveling. From an early age he read the credits at the end of movies and shows, always knew who made or starred in what. I clocked over a thousand times I took him to his martial arts, hundreds of movies and shows we enjoyed, countless days at the beach, over four thousand lullabies, night time prayers and kisses. Despite some major obstacles he was always holding out hope for better days ahead.

Liz Karp For those who like miracles: This one appeared after Bennett died, one of those mysterious messages from beyond. The photo was taken before he had sinus surgery in December 2017 - but it appeared in March of 2020, embedded at the end of one of Mark's music videos on his dad's computer. He looks happy, like namaste or praying and if you really carefully at the words behind him maybe even sending some caution