Carl James Dunlap was born on August 22, 1998, and grew up in Woodinville, WA. He attended Wellington Elementary, Leota Junior High (where he was student body president), and Woodinville High School (where he played in the drumline). He was a University of Washington DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, Technology) Scholar and intern. On September 3, 2019, before the start of his senior year at UW and less than two weeks after celebrating his 21st birthday in Las Vegas, Carl passed away suddenly from complications of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Carl was posthumously awarded his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (Marketing) by the University of Washington Foster School of Business (Class of 2020).
Carl loved hockey and had a wonderful experience as the debut Executive Track Internship Program intern for the Everett Silvertips. He was completing an outreach internship with the City of Kirkland at the time of his passing. He aspired to work in sports management and dreamed of being the youngest General Manager in the National Hockey League.
Carl had a wide circle of great friends that he loved to hang out with and his passions included sports, video games, going to raves, and his dog Amy. He had a wicked sense of humor and an overwhelmingly positive approach to life. Carl lived every day to the fullest and never let his physical challenges stand in his way. He had visited 16 countries and 17 states. A quote often attributed to Abraham Lincoln reads “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years.” Carl and his family lived by this axiom and inspired others to do the same.
Carl had a full, rich experience at the University of Washington and was able to live on campus with the help of his family, friends, and caregivers. To honor that legacy, his family has endowed the Carl James Dunlap 2020 Memorial Fund to help facilitate that experience for others with disabilities and commemorate his business aspirations and his passion for travel. The intent is to provide assistance to students affiliated with the D Center to enable them to take full advantage of on-campus living, internships, conferences, and study abroad opportunities by providing a stipend for personal care assistance and travel.