It was certainly a shock for all of us to receive the message of Norm’s passing, but I would like to try to transform sorrow into a celebration of his life, in a blend of acceptance, reflection and gratitude for the many years we shared with Norm in our Society and in the Norwegian Church in Washington, D.C. His love for Norway and America are the core value of our Society.

For me personally, Norm was a mentor. He was president before me, and I admired his style and ability to balance the different groups of members. During a difficult time when we were discussing the possibility of having to retire the Society, he was such a positive force -- as he was when we later merged the Church and the Society so that both could survive and (hopefully) thrive. I hope you will join me in spending time recalling the good moments associated with our grieving, helping us to shift our perspective from loss to appreciation.

Norm’s background was in ship construction, and his interest in ships was shared with his wife, Sofia. They took many cruises together, and we spent hours sharing experiences of cruises across the oceans and along the coasts, especially along the Norwegian coast, visiting his family in the north of Norway, or stops in Stavanger where Sofia was born. When I light a candle for Norm, I will remember our many conversations of our common love for ships and cruising. Thinking of all the stories, and all the details I have learned from Norm, I can gradually transform sorrow into celebration of his life, resilience, and the cherished memories that will continue to bring joy.

So, this is a story that Norm would have appreciated. Many of you may have read in the news recently that the NCL-chartered (North Sea Container Line AS) ship M/S NCL Salten, a 135-meter-long container ship ran aground outside Trondheim, Norway on the morning of May 22, 2025 in Byneset, near Trondheim, Norway, stopping just meters from a residential house. Remarkable, none of the 16 crew members and nobody on land was injured in the incident, and no oil spills have been reported.

MS NCL Salten, which mainly operates along the North Sea, is registered at Cyprus and owned by Baltnautic Shipping Ltd, a Lithuanian shipping company established in 1998 that owns 34 ships focusing on short routes in the north of Europe. The ship, en route to Orkanger, failed to navigate correctly into the Trondheim Fjord and crashed into the front garden of local resident Johan Helberg. Remarkably, Helberg slept through the incident and was only alerted by a neighbor. The vessel was traveling at approximately fifteen knots (normal cruising speed) when it grounded. The ship runs on autopilot and should have made a sharp turn into the Trondheim Fjord but instead continued straight until it hit land.

All of the crew members stayed on board the whole time, looking down on all the people who came to view this unique event. Before the rescue staff can pull the ship off the ground, geologists had to conduct investigations of the ground conditions by drilling holes around the ship. During this work, a landslide occurred right next to the ship and the neighbors ashore. The result is that the police had to evacuate people and also close the area for people coming to watch the attraction. The owner of the house stated that the beach may never return to what it used to be.

The police report that they have a theory about why this happened, and one of the crew members on the bridge disclosed that he fell asleep when he was alone on the bridge that morning around 5 AM. That crew member has now been formally charged with negligent navigation by the police, which is a normal process in a serious accident involving people or major damage. The ship’s captain has also been named as a suspect as part of standard procedure, and authorities have secured relevant documentation.

It is generally considered illegal and unsafe to operate a ship with only one crew member on the bridge. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), through the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), mandates that vessels have a minimum number of qualified personnel on the bridge during navigation. Typically, this requires at least one Officer of the Watch (OOW) and an additional crew member, such as a lookout or helmsman, to ensure proper situational awareness, communication, and response to emergencies. Having only one person on the bridge increases the risk of accidents, as it prevents adequate monitoring and response to potential hazards. Different countries and flag states may have specific regulations that enforce these requirements, so operating with just one crew member on the bridge would likely violate maritime safety laws and regulations. I am sure we will see this being evaluated during the investigation.

It is interesting to note that the crew onboard the Salten mainly came from Russia and Ukraine. To see people from two countries at war with one another able to work together proves again that war is not among ordinary people but among politicians.

The way I share this with you is how I would have discussed the event with Norm, and I am sure he would have added many more details. One question I would have asked him is what will happen to the ship when they remove it from ground, and would it be safe to continue their route to Trondheim? As a ship architect, he could have added much more information. Now we will have to wait for the investigation and see how it all will develop.

At our next church service, we will have to prepare for worship without Norm’s help. I will think of Norm every time I carry the Norwegian Flag into the sanctuary and when we count the offering. Someone will have to distribute the bulletin to those in attendance instead of our friend Norm.

Thank you, Norm, for all you have done for our Society over the years, for sharing so many stories in meetings or as articles in our newsletter, and for your personal support and friendship.

Rest in peace my friend.