8 NEWS
Last week was challenging for SFU staff and students alike, as the community began to mourn the tragic loss of student and campus activist Michael McDonell. McDonell, who graduated from SFU in June with a major in Sociology and minors in Labour Studies and Humanities, was to begin graduate work in September. The 24 year-old passed away in hospital on Sunday after an accident occurred at Sasamat Lake. McDonell was swimming off of White Pine Beach when he got into distress, and was under water for at least five minutes before being pulled out. Aside from being an excellent student who received first class grades in most of his courses as well, as one of the first granted Hari Sharma student awards in Labour Studies, McDonell was actively involved in the SFU community — in the Sociology and Anthropology Student Union (SASU), the Labour Studies Student Union, and with Left Alternative. He had also been a director at SFPIRG where he helped to produce a “strategic vision for the organization,” while “acting as employer for staff.” In the short time since McDonell’s death, numerous student groups at SFU have organized events in his honor. Last Thursday in Freedom Square on Burnaby Campus, SASU held a barbeque, with all proceeds going toward helping McDonell’s family with funeral costs. Community members gathered to speak with each other about their memories of Michael and to share in the event that he himself helped plan for a student union that he was heavily involved in. The McDonell family held a celebration of Michael’s life on Saturday, July 27 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Halpern Centre at SFU Burnaby Campus where friends and colleagues were encouraged to say a few words about Michael. Warren and the Labour Studies Student Union will be hosting an informal celebration of McDonell’s life at the pub, which will provide food and operate as a fundraiser to help the McDonell family recuperate some
July 29, 2013
of the funeral costs. The day and time are still to be determined, and all are welcome to attend. Although the pain of the loss of McDonell will never go away, the love and support felt this week by his friends and family are testament to the impact he made at SFU. “While it pains me to acknowledge that he is no longer with us, I am lucky to have had the chance to know him,” said Gloria Mellesmoen, SFSS education representative and a friend of McDonell’s. “I know that I will never forget him or the way he shared his passion with the world.” The multitude of comments that McDonell’s family has received since Sunday speaks volumes to his character and influence in the SFU community, and we have included several below.