Dennis William Zilinski II

West Point, 2004

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Ted Westfall on November 24, 2005:

A teammate, a fellow soldier, and a friend. Dennis "Diesel" Zilinski, was all of these things to me and many others. His loss has shaken me to my core, as I'm sure it has everyone who had the good fortune to have known him. As a teammate, Dennis and I shared a lane for three years. Always competing to make the other one a better athlete, we were both always proud to be a part of "Army Fly". For those of you about to swim the 200 fly at the Army-Navy Meet next weekend, swim just that much harder, because you're representing more than just your team. As a fellow soldier, I know that Dennis was a brave and selfless leader of men, who carried out his duty and mission despite even the gravest of circumstances or conditions. He did this until the end. As a friend, Dennis always opened his home to me and to any other buddy from school whenever we wanted. For those of us who lived far away from home while at West Point, the Zilinski residence became our "Jersey" home away from home. Dennis wouldn't hesitate to come to the aid of a friend in need, whether that aid was a helping hand out of the pool after a hard race or just a beaming smile when times were rough. He was always there for all of us. My heart and prayers go to his family in this terrible time. The world is a lesser place now, for having lost such an incredible soul. -Ted Westfall '03 Army Swimmer

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