Service planned for elite rock climber Phillip Schaal after drug poisoning Service planned for elite rock climber Phillip Schaal after drug overdose his mother calls suspicious

Contributed photo A service is planned Saturday in Middletown for world-class rock climber Phillip Schaal, 35, who passed away unexpectedly Oct. 22. Contributed photo A service is planned Saturday in Middletown for world-class rock climber Phillip Schaal, 35, who passed away unexpectedly Oct. 22. Photo: Digital First Media Photo: Digital First Media Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Service planned for elite rock climber Phillip Schaal after drug poisoning 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

MIDDLETOWN >> Rock climber Phillip Schaal’s strong heart lives on.

A world-class rock climber, Schaal, 35, excelled in a physically and mentally demanding sport that put his strength and endurance to the test. After his death on Oct. 22, 50 people were gifted with Schaal’s healthy organs following a suspicious drug overdose, according to his mother, Eloise Tencher.

“Someone has his eyes, they can see now,” said Tencher, co-owner of Brew Bakers restaurants on Main Street.

The elite boulder climber, among the top five worldwide, according to Tencher, leaves behind family and many friends, including brother Billy Gillen, stepfather Josef Aigner, co-owner of both Brew Bakers restaurants on Main Street, and a global community of rock climbers that recognized Schaal’s athletic gifts and giving personality.

Once her son’s remains are scattered, she plans to pursue filing charges into his death.

A service planned for Saturday at 5 p.m. at First Church Middletown on Court Street is expected to draw many from the bouldering and rock climbing communities to the city to honor Schaal, who died under suspicious circumstances, according to his mother.

“He died in my arms,” said Tencher, her voice breaking with sadness. “I gave him a ton of kisses.”

After donating all of his organs to recipients on waiting lists except his drug-damaged liver, Tencher plans to investigate whether foul play is responsible for her son’s death, she said.

After arriving in Chile last month for a visit with family, Tencher immediately learned of her son’s hospitalization at Wyckoff Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, and turned around quickly back home.

After finding her son in “dreadful” conditions at WMC, Schaal was transferred to Columbia Presbyterian in Manhattan, where doctors told Tencher that her son had “complete brain damage,” she said.

“It’s not going to change. He’s not going to recuperate,” doctors told Tencher.

At best, he could have “maybe a couple of years in convalescent home with tubes, Tencher added.

“No. My son would never consider it,” said Tencher, who faced one of the most difficult end-of-life decisions. She held her firstborn son in her arms and kissed his face repeatedly as he passed away, she said.

“As much as it hurts me, it’s so personal and private, this can hurt anyone, it doesn’t discriminate,” said Tencher about his suspected drug overdose.

Many of Schaal’s friends and coworkers are expected from Brooklyn Boulders, where the internationally known athlete was employed as a route-setter for climbing walls.

Many climbers will travel to the state Saturday from throughout the East and West coasts, and beyond, Tencher said.

With an abundance of video and photos posted online by Schaal over the years, enthusiasts can readily access a video archive of climbs by Schaal, who felt compelled to document his achievements, as well as maintain a record of failed attempts, Tencher said.

The vibrant young climber seems to defy gravity time after time, according to videos posted to Vimeo.

“There is a very famous boulder in Colorado, one of the most difficult boulders to climb anywhere,” said Tencher, illustrating her son’s perseverance and dedication to his passion. “He did it in three tries. That is earth-shattering in itself, for anyone who is familiar with climbing.”

With a video record of his tries and accomplishments, Schaal could back up his claims against anyone that might question him, his mother said.

The Rev. Julia Burkey will lead the service, followed by words from Tencher, who then plans to open up the service to comments from those who knew her son so well, she said.

“Instead of a somber religious event,” the service will uplift those gathered as they share thoughts and memories of Schaal, said Tencher, who has prepared a special playlist for the service.

A 1999 graduate of Glastonbury High School, Schaal started traveling around the world after high school to follow his passion of rock climbing. He traveled to every continent, his mother said.

“He would go four months to climb in Indonesia, in South Africa. He knew people from all over the world,” said Tencher, who has been receiving packages, cards and flowers from people she doesn’t even know.

Doctors told Tencher that her son had a highly allergic reaction to a “synthetic concoction,” that may have included Ecstasy, also known by its street name, Molly, she said.

“They could not even detect the chemicals,” in a concoction” he ingested, said Tencher. Her suspicion is that “someone did something to his drink” at a gathering at a friend’s apartment, she said.

“People will say he was a drug user but he wasn’t,” said Tencher, who shared other details she considers suspicious that she’ll further investigate. Tencher was also told that her son was pulled from the chair where he was found unconscious in the apartment the morning after the party. He was moved to the street by a man who took Schaal’s cellphone and wallet before calling 911 about her son, Tencher said she was was informed.

“(The man) gave them to a friend so we know who the guy is,” said Tencher, who told local police what she has learned. “This guy has to be locked up,” said Tencher, who has spoken to other friends who were there that evening.

For now, Tencher will focus on honoring her beloved son whose remains will be scattered at Valle Verzasca, in Switzerland.

Schaal is half-Swiss, his mom said. “He would have loved (the idea),” Tencher said.