Live Like Line

Updated April 16, 2024

## Live Like Line (Iowa City): What It Is, Where It Comes From, and How to Visit Respectfully

“Live Like Line” is more than a phrase you’ll see on a bright blue bench in downtown Iowa City. It’s a community shorthand for a real person—Caroline “Line” Found—and the ripple effect her life (and death) had on teammates, classmates, and a wider volleyball community in Iowa.

This guide sticks to what is verifiable from published sources, and it avoids details that commonly drift over time (like exact placement, paint condition, or event schedules).

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## What “Live Like Line” memorializes

Caroline Found was an All-State setter and emotional leader for Iowa City West High School volleyball. In August 2011, she died in a moped accident in Iowa City; just days later, her mother, Ellyn, died of pancreatic cancer.

After Caroline’s death, the Iowa City West volleyball team returned to competition and ultimately won the 4A state championship that season—an outcome that became a widely retold local sports story and later inspired books and film coverage.

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## The memorial you can see downtown: the “Live Like Line” bench

Multiple sources describe a dedicated “Live Like Line” bench in downtown Iowa City:

– A FilmScene program (April 2018) refers to “the ‘Live Like Line’ bench outside the ICPL,” i.e., the Iowa City Public Library.
– A separate write-up about The Miracle Season also notes “a bench decorated to read ‘Live Like Line’” in downtown Iowa City, describing it as a bright blue bench dedicated to Caroline.

Because benches can be relocated, repainted, or temporarily removed for construction or streetscape work, treat any pin-drop address as a best-effort starting point—not a guarantee. The most durable “location truth” in the sources is downtown, outside the Iowa City Public Library.

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## What the phrase means (based on reporting, not interpretation)

The CBS2 “Lost and Found” feature describes Caroline as someone who included people intentionally and repeatedly—across social groups and circumstances—and frames “Live Like Line” as a continuing inspiration.

Separately, the memorial bench is described as carrying the phrase itself—functioning as a public reminder of that standard.

That’s the key point to keep in mind when you visit: this is not “public art” in the abstract. It’s a live, local memory marker.

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## How to visit in a way that fits the space

Because the bench is described as being outside a public library, the setting is likely shared with people arriving for everyday reasons—classes, kids’ activities, quiet work, meetups, and community services.

A respectful visit usually looks like this:

– Keep it low-key. A short sit, a photo, a quiet moment—then move on.
– Treat it like a memorial first, photo spot second. If you’re filming or photographing, be mindful of library entrances and foot traffic.
– Leave no trace. If you bring flowers or a small note, avoid anything that creates litter or requires staff cleanup.

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## What you can do nearby (without guessing specifics)

Since the bench is described as outside the Iowa City Public Library downtown, you’re in a walkable core area by definition.
Rather than listing businesses or “must-dos” (which change quickly), the most accurate nearby pairing is:

– Make the library part of the stop. Even if you don’t go inside, the setting explains why the bench works as a community touchpoint—public, accessible, and integrated into daily life.

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## What may be outdated (and what to verify before you go)

Some commonly repeated details can age out:

– Bench appearance and repainting cycles. One source describes other downtown benches being repainted “every few years,” while implying this bench is treated differently. That may or may not still be true today.
– Exact placement. The FilmScene reference anchors it “outside the ICPL,” but it doesn’t lock an exact corner or block face.

If you’re building a trip plan around it, the safest verification method is simply confirming the bench’s presence at the Iowa City Public Library area shortly before your visit (for example, via current street imagery, a local post, or a quick check-in once you arrive).

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## A note on inclusivity and why this story resonates beyond sports

Although the story is often told through the lens of girls’ high school volleyball, the reported “Live Like Line” ethos centers on interpersonal inclusion—showing up for people, making room for someone who might otherwise be left out, and taking initiative to connect across social lines.

That’s why the memorial works in a public, everyday space like a library plaza: it doesn’t require you to be an athlete—or even a sports fan—to understand the point.

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## Internal links

I’m not adding internal links because I don’t have your RealJourneyTravels.com URL structure for Iowa City pages (and I won’t invent slugs).

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