By ABBY BRAVO
News Editor
The College of Saint Rose community joined together on Nov. 15 to celebrate and honor loved ones students have lost. Attendees were encouraged to write messages for their loved ones or just their names on paper bags, place a candle and rocks inside, and line the bags outside around the campus green.
Joan Horgan, the director of the office of spiritual life, put on the event as a way to give students “the chance to remember people,” she said.
The gathering was held outside the Interfaith Sanctuary from 5 to 7 p.m. and while the weather was cold, the turnout was impressive.
While this gathering was intended for anyone who wanted to join, an overwhelming majority was there to honor Matthew Frankel, a senior business major and lacrosse player who died in August of this year. Most of the men’s lacrosse team, as well as others, came out to support Frankel and some gave short eulogies at the beginning of the event.
Growing up in nearby Niskayuna, Frankel has a large number of friends from childhood who also attend Saint Rose.
Gabe Nish, a senior at the college, knew Frankel for most of his life, and even eulogized at his funeral service. Nish said they met in youth baseball, hated each other at first, became close friends a couple of years later, and their friendship grew from there. “I came here because he would come here for me,” said Nish. “He made everyone he interacted with feel like he was their best friend,” he added.
Chloe Agostino, a senior lacrosse player, has been close with Frankel since sixth grade. “The loss of him has taken a toll on the whole community,” said Agostino.
“It’s good to know that there’s other people that are feeling how you’re feeling,” said Agostino.
“It’s really moving to see the impact that one life can have on so many people,” said Horgan regarding the turnout for Frankel.
Frankel’s death comes as one of three that the Saint Rose community has mourned over the past year. “I’ve been here a lot of years and the amount of loss we’ve had in a year has just been astounding,” said Horgan. The other two losses were senior music industry major Nathaniel Hopper who passed in May, and junior cyber security major Jack Sinnott, in September of this year.
This gathering was an open opportunity for students to join with their friends to get together and mourn over a cup of hot chocolate, or just to quietly stop by and write a message on a bag.
“It’s been nice to see everyone get together and be here for one last thing, to get some closure,” said Agostino.
