Second-year College student Mark Brzozowski died yesterday morning in his home in Manassas, Va., after a battle with cancer that lasted nearly three years.
Brzozowski's friends and family said he will be remembered for his courage, friendship and his love for music, creative writing and Spanish.
Brzozowski was diagnosed with alveolar soft tissue sarcoma in his right arm in February 1997. A CAT scan revealed cancer in his lungs. Soon after, he underwent surgery and chemotherapy at Georgetown University Hospital, but by January 1999, the cancer had spread to his brain. Brzozowski's mother, Marianne, said her son fought bravely through the treatment to graduate from Osbourn High School in 1998 and realize his goal of attending the University.
"His desire to go to U.Va. is what got him through [treatment] at Georgetown and do as well as he did," his mother said. "He'll be wearing his U.Va. sweatshirt and cap" when he is buried Saturday.
Brzozowski was the recipient of the IBM Watson Scholarship and Manassas Education Association Scholarship, which helped him attend the University.
His mother said Brzozowski's father, Thomas, brought their son home from the University Oct. 21 so he could regain his strength and eventually return to school. She was by her son's side when he passed away.
Second-year students Ken Chappei, Matt Varthalamis, Dave Scupp and Dan Botwinik, Brzozowski's roommates and friends ever since they shared the same hall in Hancock House first year, spent the day together yesterday, remembering their friend.
"Despite his illness, he was one of the guys, he never wanted any special privileges. He wanted to be treated as one of us. Mark was our best friend," Botwinik said, speaking for the four.
Brzozowski is survived by his parents, his maternal grandmother Helen Marks of Whiting, N.J. and his goddaughter Emma Jean Kane. Wake services are planned for Friday, Nov. 5 at Blasius-Baker Funeral Home in Manassas from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass will be held Saturday Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas. Brzozowski's mother said plans are being developed for the creation of a memorial scholarship at his high school for a student with a love of music who wants to attend college.
(Cavalier Daily Staff Writers contributed to this story.)
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