On Saturday, March 31st, La Raza Latina held their annual Festival. My friends came to see me perform, and they brought some of their friends along. Among them was Chris Gormley, a freshman Honors student. I’ve talked to him a few times before.

The next day, April 1st, I found out that Chris passed away from hypothermia, the result of a kayaking accident. He had turned 18 barely a week before his death.

I was in complete shock, and I’m still in shock.

Like Father Clancy said in his homily for Chris’s memorial service on Tuesday, April 3rd, “it’s not right for young people to mourn the loss of one of their own.”

This was especially hard for me to handle, because someone I knew passed away during my freshman year in high school. His death anniversary was on Monday, April 2nd. It felt like a replay of that time during my freshman year.

Chris’s untimely death was an intense blow to the freshman class here at Gonzaga, in particular the freshman Honors students and their friends, me included.

The way students and faculty came together to support each other during this difficult time was astounding and comforting to see.

I haven’t seen so much sadness among my fellow students since the assembly I attended in my school gym in 2008. However, to see such a large group of people bond together was amazing.

It’s difficult to handle the loss of someone in my own age group, someone I interacted with on occasion. I didn’t know him well, but I knew he was a good guy, a great friend to many, and an interesting person to talk to.

Te extrañaremos, Chris. No te vamos a olvidar. (He was a Spanish major. It means “We will miss you, Chris. We won’t forget you.”)

Until next time.

Heather, Class of 2015
English and Music Education double-major

(We sang this song at the end of Chris’s memorial service while a classmate played the ukulele.)