To the classmate I never knew,
Last Friday night, I was so relieved to be done with my last day of classes for my first semester at college. My only stress was the four papers I had to do. Last Friday night, my friends and I prepared to have a little Christmas party with our friends, just hanging out watching Elf, while looking forward to our last Saturday all together at school. Although I was so sad to leave my friends, I was excited for my dad to pick me up Sunday morning.
Last Friday night, you took your own life in your dorm room.
My friend and I were coming back to the dorm around seven, and saw the public safety and cop cars show up. We thought someone got busted or transported. When we were walking back from the showers at seven-thirty, we were told to stay in our rooms, maybe someone was putting up a fight with the police. We did not think we would hear the news we did.
We spent two and a half hours in the room, eating ice cream cake, pretending to watch TV, trying to hope the rumors we were hearing were not true. “Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.” Finally, at ten, they called us into the basement. Everyone in the building was there, but also some other important people, like the Dean of Students, the heads of Student Government, and one of the Jesuits to name a few. As much as I’d like to have seen them, we all knew they were not there to wish us luck on finals.
We heard the news, we cried, we called our parents. We sat confused, we waited, we went to the prayer service. We. We did this all together, as a community, as a family, for you.
To the classmate I never knew, I’m sorry I never knew you. You lived across from two of my best friends, I always saw your name on the board outside your door, but I can’t say we ever met. But we are part of the same family. Even though I didn’t know you, I still hurt, because we lost one of our own. We lost you.
I pray a lot. And right now, I pray that your family finds peace here, and you find peace in Heaven.You will always have a home on the Hill.
Thank you.