L E T T E R S
T O
Meredith O’Neill Hassett, left, and Kristy Irvine Ryan
PA G E T H I RT Y- T W O
T H E
E D I T O R
In Memory of Kristy Irvine Ryan On Sept. 11, 2001, I lost my best friend, Kristy Irvine Ryan (F -Dayton), in the World Trade Center attacks. She worked at Sandler O’Neill & Partners in Tower 2. Kristy and I were best friends since fourth grade. I followed her to The University of Dayton and into Alpha Phi. Alpha Phi quickly became the central part of our college lives. We made many friends and had such a wonderful time being part of an incredible group of women. Kristy’s favorite part of Alpha Phi was the Halloween functions. If you were to ask our sisters, I’m sure they would remember her unusual costumes. Another part Kristy and I enjoyed was the philanthropic aspect of Alpha Phi. We took this to a new level in 1999. I was working as a teacher in Harlem when I met a wonderful woman who had recently been placed in a Harlem housing project after living in a domestic violence shelter. She had nothing. Together, Kristy and I purchased all her household needs. We bought sheets, towels, pillows, dishes, pots and pans, glasses, a couch, a washing machine, and more. On Christmas Eve, Kristy, her future husband and sister delivered the gifts to the woman’s apartment. The change was remarkable. This woman became a different person. She slowly regained her confidence, got off welfare, became a teacher’s assistant at my school and started smiling again. Kristy and I decided we wanted to spread this joy further, and Secret Smiles was born. Secret Smiles was a very small non-profit organization until Sept. 11. Since that time we have received many donations in Kristy’s name; [Alpha Phi, through its Alpha Phi September 11 Disaster Relief Fund] gave one of our biggest gifts. I wanted to write this letter to thank you all for your support and faith in Secret Smiles. There are no words that can adequately describe how grateful we are to all of you. We have formed a “Kristy’s Smile” division of Secret Smiles. The money raised in Kristy’s name will go towards helping families affected by the World Trade Center attacks.
I can’t fool myself into thinking that Kristy was ready to go; she wasn’t. But I do know that she was at her absolute happiest the day she died, her smile at its brightest. Kristy guided me through almost everything in my life, including becoming an Alpha Phi sister. I will miss her for the rest of my days. Thank you again, Meredith O’Neill Hassett (F -Dayton) Editor’s Note: The Alpha Phi Foundation donated half of the Alpha Phi September 11 Disaster Relief Fund contributions (see Winter 2002 Quarterly or www.alphaphi.org) to Secret Smiles, Inc. in Kristy’s memory. For information on Secret Smiles, visit www.secretsmiles.org or call 866.314.5397.
Organ Donation: Save a Life Thank you so much for writing the article on organ donors (Summer 2001 Quarterly). One does not know the importance of being a donor until one is on a list. I am on the lung(s) transplant list at the University of Southern California. The whole process is quite amazing and very involved. I have met several people who have [received transplants]; it certainly changed their lives. Your article was very informative. Sincerely, JoAnn Lewis (S-Oregon) New Alumna Finds Alpha Phi Overseas As a graduation gift, my family sent me to Europe for six weeks so I could see the world. Alpha Phi was unexpectedly on my trip as well. I met women from other chapters, which was a wonderful experience. I also encountered Alpha Phi in Bern, Switzerland. In Einstein House, [the apartment where Albert Einstein lived from 1903-05 that is now a museum,] I found the deepest picture of the universe ever taken. It was photographed through Ursa Major, Alpha Phi’s constellation! Love and AOE, Kimberly Slater ( A-San Diego State)
ALPHA PHI
Quarterly