
To the boy with the sweetest smile, the most brilliant brain, and the greatest passion for life and for learning; to the boy I met in the class that changed my life, with the people who changed my life; to the boy with all the same classes as me, who I ran with (quite literally, sprinting across the Midway) from class to class to class and spent an insane amount of my waking hours with; to the boy I conquered concepts, coursework, labs, and projects with, who encouraged me when I did badly, and celebrated with me when I did well; to the boy who could discuss science, art, music, and social issues all in one breath, and who never failed to amaze me with his insights and his knowledge; to the boy I confided in (over his delicious chicken stews), and who always lent a kind ear even when there were no words to be said; to the boy who never turned down a hangout, and was always there when I needed him; and to the boy I laughed with, learned with, grew with, and who quickly became one of the dearest of friends:
You’ve shaped me and changed me, and I am much of who I am today because of your influence. I’ve spent so much of my time at UChicago with you that I still can’t believe this is it. You helped me find my passion and I will always look back on those early conversations where we marveled together at how amazing the world is, how cool science is, and how much we love chemistry and biochemistry.
The last time I saw you, I was walking out of the IChem final. I turned around right before I left and saw a sea of heads, with everyone hunched over their desks still scribbling. Except for you. You were sitting straight up, with a giant grin on your face, and you gave me a huge wave, right in the middle of the final. Because that was just the kind of person you were.
I can’t seem to find the words right now to say everything I’m feeling, and I wish so badly that I could have seen you, hugged you, and told you just how much you mean to me one last time. I hope somehow you'll see this, and know how much I love you. You are a part of me, and I will carry you with me wherever I go. I miss you badly. Love always, Austin. May you rest in peace.
You’ve shaped me and changed me, and I am much of who I am today because of your influence. I’ve spent so much of my time at UChicago with you that I still can’t believe this is it. You helped me find my passion and I will always look back on those early conversations where we marveled together at how amazing the world is, how cool science is, and how much we love chemistry and biochemistry.
The last time I saw you, I was walking out of the IChem final. I turned around right before I left and saw a sea of heads, with everyone hunched over their desks still scribbling. Except for you. You were sitting straight up, with a giant grin on your face, and you gave me a huge wave, right in the middle of the final. Because that was just the kind of person you were.
I can’t seem to find the words right now to say everything I’m feeling, and I wish so badly that I could have seen you, hugged you, and told you just how much you mean to me one last time. I hope somehow you'll see this, and know how much I love you. You are a part of me, and I will carry you with me wherever I go. I miss you badly. Love always, Austin. May you rest in peace.