Erik Anders Sorensen
March 24, 1985 — October 22, 2015
Erik Anders Sorensen passed away in the early morning of Thursday October 22, 2015 at Lower Manhattan Hospital in Manhattan, NY. Born in Fresno, California to Ward and Karen Sorensen, Erik grew up in Frederick, Maryland and moved to Brooklyn in 2014. A life-long lover of the outdoors, Erik was riding his bicycle across the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City late at night after finishing a shift as a bar chef in lower Manhattan when he quickly and unexpectedly suffered from cardiac sarcoidosis. A bystander saw him collapse on the bridge, called an ambulance and started CPR. Emergency medical professionals at Lower Manhattan Hospital spent two hours attempting to resuscitate him but could not keep him alive. Erik had no known preexisting heart conditions and the disease is virtually impossible to detect. He was 30 years old. His heart was also found to be enlarged, true both in medical terms and metaphorically. He was a warm person, full of love and laughter. Erik proposed to the love of his life, Amy Carstensen, less than a month before his passing with his grandmother's ring. The couple had planned to wed on New Year's Eve 2016. Erik's life was one of many pursuits and joys, but music was his greatest passion. An accomplished and passionate guitarist and songwriter, his masterful talent was channeled into musical offerings ranging from folk to heavy metal. Erik shared his love for music with his many friends and family members, and he and his fiancée created music together from the day they met at neighboring music schools in Boston, MA. Over the past few years he had starred as the lead guitarist of the Brooklyn-based progressive metal band Autocatalytica, while continuing to play with Amy in their folk duo Quiet City. Though many people who met Erik were deeply aware of his musicianship, everyone who came into even brief contact with him was touched by his kind heart, laid-back personality and amazing sense of humor. Always the funniest guy in the room, Erik could make anyone laugh in any situation, seemingly without any effort on his behalf; hilarity just flowed out of him constantly. Erik's other great loves included cooking, comedic television and podcasts, and enjoying the outdoors. He was an avid NHL hockey fan, never missing a Washington Capitals game if he could help it. Erik was a true lover of animals, especially dogs. He loved listening to music and his impeccable taste spanned many genres. Erik graduated from Governor Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick in 2003, then went on to pursue his love for guitar by attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating in 2011 with a degree in Professional Music. Erik and Amy moved to Brooklyn in 2014, where they both worked as music instructors at the Bronx House School of Performing Arts. Erik was a wonderful teacher; he found great joy in inspiring his young students and making them laugh. His childlike spirit, quick wit, and creative energy made him a magnetic person and an inspiration to everyone he met. He showed everyone the importance of living life to the fullest, always pursuing what you love, and not taking anything too seriously. Erik is survived by his mother, Karen; his father, Ward; and his beloved sister, Kelsey. Amy survives him in life, though he will always have her heart. In lieu of flowers, family and friends suggest making a contribution to one or more of the following charities in memory of Erik Sorensen:
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.
Funds research and patient services for autoimmune disorders such as sarcoidosis and lupus.
Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation.
This foundation donates musical instruments to under served schools to inspire creativity, expression and joy through music in children and young adults.
Bronx House School for the Performing Arts
The Bronx House provides music instruction for all ages, a variety of dance classes for all levels, and theater classes as well as a production program for children and young adults. This organization is a recent employer of Erik's where he taught guitar. To aid the family in memorial expenses, please contribute to the Go FundMe site created for this purpose:
Go Fund Me Website
