About 400 people gathered at the Aquatic and Fitness Center Friday to honor the lives of Yeardley Love, John Everhart, Joseph Roberts, Brian Gomez and Thomas Gilliam IV, five former University students who passed away during the past year.
"As a community, it is important for us to come together to honor those we have lost," Student Council President Colin Hood said in his opening remarks at the student memorial ceremony.
Fourth-year College student Molly Millard gave a speech about Love, who was her women's lacrosse teammate. She was teary-eyed as she spoke about Love, who died May 3, 2010.
"[Love] was the quintessential role model, but she'd never let you tell it like that. Above all, she was modest," Millard said, adding that Love was a quiet leader who had a positive impact on everyone around her. "It is no coincidence that her last name was 'Love,' because that is what she embodied."
Third-year College student David Carey spoke about his former classmate, Everhart, who died Aug. 15, 2010 from a car accident in New Jersey. "[Everhart] was both a bright and intellectual student who always brought an open mind to class," Carey said.
Everhart had been accepted to the Batten School before his death but never got the chance to take classes there. Batten Dean Harry Harding, who also spoke in Everhart's honor, said he regrets not being able to get to know Everhart well.
Second-year College student Jonny Leaton spoke about his friend Roberts, emphasizing his love for the University. Roberts passed away Sept. 27, 2010 from complications stemming from a double-lung transplant he received to treat his cystic fibrosis. "He never let [his disease] hold him back," Leaton said. "He was a fighter, always."
Third-year College student Mark Goldberg described Gomez as having "relentless energy [and] a dauntless sense of humor." Gomez was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer involving uncontrolled growth in skeletal muscle tissue, a year before he died Oct. 13, 2010.
"Much of our relationship consisted of him [forging] the path ahead, and me meekly following his lead," Goldberg said.
First-year College student William Everett then spoke about his friend Gilliam, who died last Sunday.
"I stress that [Gilliam] was an individual," Everett said. "There will never be anyone quite like him."
Everett and fellow first-year College student Kathryne Appleby recounted Gilliam's popularity amongst the student body, his generosity, his strong sense of faith and his selflessness. "With Tom, you didn't have to be doing anything really for it to be fun and memorable," Appleby said.
Gilliam always was "giving a kind word of advice, or working his Irish accent on the ladies ... He will always be my favorite Irish accent," Everett said.
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