March 2017 - Will, Our College Buddy
“Will has always been this active, energetic guy. I’m looking forward to riding with him. ”
Will grew up in Chicago, IL and came to Colorado College in 2007. Around campus, he could be seen wearing basketball jerseys, rocking ugly sweaters, and making memories with his best friends. His energy brightened any room he entered. For his senior year, Will lived in 927 Weber, where Jeremy, Russ, Michael, and Dan would live the year after.
After graduating, Will set his sights on becoming a Hot Shot (forest firefighter), and after hard training, was accepted into National Forest Service and relocated to Idaho. In 2015, Will was driving back with Mark Sullivan, a friend (no relation), and the car lost control and ran into a tree. Sadly, Mark passed away in the accident and Will was hospitalized in a coma due to severe brain trauma. Since then, Will has recovered some motor skills and is back in Chicago with his family where they are adjusting for a new journey.
As our first MITZVOTERS donation, we decided we wanted to support his new journey, and give to someone in our CC family. We connected with Will's dad, Hal, and he recommended we use our donation to help fund a recumbent tandem bicycle, so friends can ride with Will when they visit. We could think of no better way to support our friend.
— Daniel Fuwa, Project Lead
These great friends also donated to Will's recumbent tandem bicycle!
MATT
"My favorite part about Will is that I have never met anyone like Will. He has this incredible combination of being wise yet playful, sensitive yet strong, intelligent yet empathetic, pensive yet extroverted. He is all of these traits in a way that everyone who knows him understands. Will is always true to himself. He lives his life putting family and friends above all else. He understands the value of a good laugh. He makes me want to be the kind of friend, to all of the people in my life, that he is to me." ―Matt Giangreco
TOMMY
"Will has always been the friend that would drive you to the airport at 5 AM, stay out late with you if you ribbed him hard enough, or play cards with you for hours just because. In college I was less impressed by the fact that he was friends with so many people than by the fact that he cared so much about all of them. In using his own words, he's the bomb.com." ―Tommy Grossinger
CALLIE
"When asked for a memory of Will, my mind immediately was flooded with happiness, like sun coming into a room. Thinking of Will is thinking of humor, happiness, and pure joy. I can't remember a single moment with him that he didn't bring light into. I remember when we were graduating and during the final days leading up to it, Will came by our house. He caught me in that moment we all have when we become aware of the finality of the graduation. He put his arm around me and said, 'keep your head up and smile, because positivity is contagious.' He is such an example of his own advice, and I will forever be grateful that Will has been in my life." ―Callie Tappe
DAPHNE
"This pic is from many of my wonderful weekends with Will (he always loved a good alliteration!). We were all up in Vail staying at his family's condo. We skied, ate, drank, and most notably, laughed. I cant decipher one Will memory from the rest because I was always so busy laughing. Although all these amazing memories seemed to have fused together over the years, they are not blurred, and I will always hold them close to my heart." ―Daphne Shethar