Hart Law Allen
Hart Law Allen was born at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 27, 2011, to Russ and Nicole Allen. As the baby of the family, Hart had the advantage of a brother and sisters to play with, learn from, and be bossed around by. But don’t worry about bossy siblings—they had already broken in the parents, so Hart got away with a lot, too.
Hart lived fully in his all too brief time with us. He was a gentle, affable presence at school and at home. If Hart petted one of the family dogs, he made sure to pet the other, just to even it out. Not much bothered Hart. If someone spoke sharply to him, he’d look askance at them, mutter “Bruh,” then let it go.
He had a mischievous streak, often saying outrageous things just to get a rise out of us. His trash-talking with siblings was legendary. When Hart grew just a touch taller than his older brother, he started calling him “Lil Bro.” Though sometimes quiet in public, among family and his friends he rarely stopped teasing and making us smile.
Hart was also a lifelong master of extending bedtime along with his willing accomplice, his dad. As Hart aged, games of “hide the truck,” hide and seek (with eyes shut), and the occasional pillow fight gave way to questionable memes, “History Oversimplified,” and questions with hopefully long answers—but the ritual of bedtime remained sacred.
Hart loved to explore, especially if the dogs could come. The dog run at Tanyard Creek Park and our local, mosquito-infested creek were favorites. He may have rambled into strangers’ backyards once or twice, but Mom doesn’t know about it.
In just 13 years, Hart packed in a lifetime of adventure. In 5th grade, he traveled to Costa Rica with classmates, sharing a room with other fragrant boys—and more than a few local spiders. He later visited Europe with family several times, enjoying neighborhood walks perhaps more than the art museums. He became a certified scuba diver at age 10, and by 12 he had earned his Advanced scuba certification in the Dominican Republic.
Hart was game for just about anything: fishing, skeet shooting, whitewater rafting, ziplining, or caving with his Scout troop. He’d recently earned his Life rank and 29 merit badges, with plans for his Eagle Scout project after ninth grade. Hart spent countless hours with his Mom doing service projects, merit badges (prodding sometimes needed), and Scout campouts with his buddies (prodding not needed).
No remembrance of Hart is complete without mentioning his favorite thing: time with friends. He treasured his tight-knit crew. They spent hours on Minecraft and other games, but just as often, they were racing undersized ride-on toys in the driveway, swimming, or horsing around. Hart played Water Polo, but Lacrosse was his true love. He anchored the defense with his 6’3”, 200-pound frame, drawing double takes from opposing team parents and whispers of, “Should we ask to see that kid’s birth certificate?”
The loss of this gentle, funny soul to a terrible accident is an unspeakable loss to family, friends, and those whose lives he would have touched. Hart is deeply loved and profoundly missed by all who knew him. Hart’s time with us was all too brief. But if we can just remember him, the light he brought into our lives will live on.
Hart is survived by his parents, Russ and Nicole Allen; his siblings, Adger, Elowyn, and Carys; his paternal grandparents Sam and Angie Allen of Atlanta; his paternal grandmother Jane Allen of Atlanta, affectionately known as “Gaga”; his paternal aunt Connie Haley and her husband Scott of Nashville, and their children Caroline, Claire, and Sam; his paternal aunt Laura Noel and her son Alex Noel; his maternal grandparents Gary and Trish King of San Antonio; his uncle Terry King and his wife Janey of Austin, and their children Tandy, Madeline, and Christian; and many other extended family members and friends who loved him dearly.
The funeral for Hart Allen will be Thursday, July 3, at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral.