How do you write the obituary for the one who writes the obituaries?

She was born Sara Caitlen Gobets in Santa Cruz, Ca, July 23 1986. She died “Gobbi,” in Sabana de la Mar, Dominican Republic, July 25, 2022 from a fatal accident while working as a counselor for an adventure guide company.

She left behind friends and family all over the world. This is not an exaggeration or hyperbole, in her short time on this earth she traveled around the world many times. As a youth, she toured the USA in the years before her passport would be filled with stamps from remote locations and countless adventures.

Sara spent more than half her adult life abroad. Traveling through Eruope, Asia and the islands of the pacific rim. She lived for a time in Thailand, the Dominican Republic and Guam (where she adopted two kittens who she bright back with her to California).

She was a woman of many titles, her most recent ones included:
Journalism Lecturer and Faculty advisor to the student newspaper at California State University at Monterey Bay.
Founder/Photographer of Gobets Photography. Her site here.
Naturalist at Natural Habitat Adventures.
Program Leader and Program Leader with Offbeat Travel
Published Photojournalist with the Monterey Herald, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Sonoma West Publishers, San Francisco Chronicle and SFGATE
Editor and Circulation manager with La Voz Weekly, Deanza College
Underwater Explorer Instructor at Monterey Bay Aquarium
Conservationist with Fundemar

She spoke many languages with competency and was always learning. She was also in the process of getting her Masters degree in Journalism and Interactive Media through the University of Missouri-Columbia. She won more scholarships, awards and honors than it is prudent to list, lest this become a litenry of lists that can be easily viewed on her linkedin page.

Her greatest accomplishments by far were the connections she made with human and non-human animals wherever she was in the world. She was an example of doing right by those right there with you, in a myriad of places and situations. She was a woman who became a master diver so that she could swim with ocean creatures, in a not so secret bid to try and become friends with all of them. She loved wild and stray critters on a professional level, wherever she was in the world she would inevitably end up cuddling something furry, scaly or feathered.

She immersed herself in cultures not her own, always showing up as a willing student or helper for whatever task was at hand. Assisting anyone she could.

Above all else she was a devoted daughter and constant support for her mother Linda and the best sister ever to Ember. If you see us around town, just give a smile and a wave, we appreciate your understanding during this raw time. There are no words to describe the depths of our grief but Billie Eilish does an eerily accurate job with the song ilomilo.

“Told you not to worry
But maybe that’s a lie
Honey, what’s your hurry?
Won’t you stay inside?
Remember not to get too close to stars
They’re never gonna give you love like ours

Where did you go?
I should know, but it’s cold
And I don’t wanna be lonely
So show me the way home
I can’t lose another life

Hurry, I’m worried
The world’s a little blurry
Or maybe it’s my eyes
The friends I’ve had to bury
They keep me up at night

Said I couldn’t love someone
‘Cause I might break
If you’re gonna die, not by mistake

So, where did you go?
I should know, but it’s cold
And I don’t wanna be lonely
So tell me you’ll come home
Even if it’s just a lie

I tried not to upset you
Let you, rescue, me the day I met you
I just wanted to protect you
But now I’ll never get to

Hurry, I’m worried

Where did you go?
I should know, but it’s cold
And I don’t wanna be lonely
Was hoping you’d come home
I don’t care if it’s a lie”