Seth and Rame begin
their adventure in
Through the Ice. Art
by Daniel Horne.
Lega Of A Dear Friend
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
Features Editor
hips often came to
his master's room
long after Robert
died. The dog
would wander by
Robert's saxophone and his
bookshelves, his karate
uniform on the chair, his pic-
tures of cars on the wall and
his computer, where he was
writing a science fantasy
book.
Robert's family has moved
now; someone else lives in
the West Bloomfield home
where he grew up. But
Robert is here in the new
house, too, loo-king hand-
some in an elegant black
suit in a photo with his fami-
ly, in pictures as a child in
his baseball uniform and as
a young man sitting beside a
stream. And he is here in the
quiet emptiness that fills the
C
halls and rooms where the
only sound is Chips walking
back and forth, back and for-
th, looking for Robert.
Robert Kornwise was 16
years old when he was
killed. Returning from a ski-
ing trip in December 1987,
he was riding in a car struck
from behind by a vehicle
traveling at 50 mph.
The 17-year-old from
Grosse Pointe who killed
Robert spent 30 days in jail
for his crime. The Kornwise
family says he has never
apologized.
Robert left behind his
parents, Dr. Sanford and
Maureen, and sister, Jill,
who have yet to recover and
say they will never be heal-
ed. He ieft behind hundreds
of friends, and Andover High
schoolmates who compiled a
photo essay about Robert in
their yearbook. They called
it "The Legacy of a Dear
Friend."
Robert Kornwise
had a thousand
dreams. With the
help of author
Piers Anthony, he
realized this one.
Robert Kornwise
He left behind teachers
ready to discuss at length
how bright and creative he
was. And he left behind an
incomplete manuscript for a
book.
This week, that book was
published. Through the Ice,
published by Underwood-
Miller, is the story of four
adventurers who travel in a
world of fantasy to defeat a
wicked sorcerer determined
to control the universe. It
will be available at the
Jewish Community Center's
38th Annual Book Fair.
Through the Ice was
written by Robert and Piers
Anthony, the author of nu-
merous science fiction and
science fantasy books. But it
would never have been
published without the help
of Robert's friends, who were
determined to see that his
greatest dream came true.
T
hird-graders Robert
Kornwise and Daniel
Bree liked each other
right away. They became best
pals and stayed friends over
the years.
"We spent hours talking
about things we wanted to
do and make and build. I
remember we wanted to
build a go-cart," says Bree,
now a student at Brown
University in Providence,
R.I.
"Robbie always wanted to
make things right. He had a
real interest in politics. I
think he said he wanted to
be president, and I always
believed that he could be
president. I thought he could
do anything he wanted."
As teen agers, Daniel and
Robert decided to form a
band. Robert played saxo-
phone and Daniel played
guitar. They wrote their own
music and met once a week
to rehearse.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
39