By Marrissa Ballard | Managing Editor
Salve student Stephen Costello passed away on Wednesday, January 20th after fighting an illness.
The Salve community was notified via mass email. The email also asked for prayers for the Costello family and gave information about future services. The announcement came just days after students had come back from break to start the new semester. A Mass was held for Stephen in Our Lady of Mercy Chapel on January 24th and a memorial took place on January 31st.
In honor of Stephen and in lieu of flowers, the Costello family encouraged people to donate to The Breathing Room Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping families affected by cancer, or the Old York Road Historical Society.
For many students at Salve, Stephen’s passing came as a shock. Immediately, students began sharing their grief, condolences, memories, and photos of Stephen via Facebook. As people kept tagging Stephen in new posts, his wall became full of heartfelt messages.
Even if a student had not known Stephen well, or even at all, they still offered support and kind words. Organizations such as the Student Government Association also paid tribute to Stephen. The posts demonstrated not only the vibrancy and laughter of Stephen’s life, but also his incredible impact on the Salve community.
It is clear that Salve is united in grief, best expressed through the repeated hope that Stephen has found his peace in a better place. You can view some of the posts about Stephen below.
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