As new and returning Greyhounds walk onto campus to begin the new year, there is someone missing.

On July 5, Jimi Patrick ’20 was murdered along with three other men from Bucks County, Pa. His story was broadcasted all over the country, but for Loyola students, it hits home.

While these past months have been filled with grieving, there has also been joy in remembering. In an email sent to members of the Loyola community on July 14 regarding Jimi’s passing, President Rev. Brian F. Linnane wrote, “At a time of such grief, let’s seek strength in the comfort and compassion we can offer to one another. As St. Francis of Assisi said, ‘All the darkness in the world can’t extinguish the light of a single candle.’”

Many remember Jimi as just that: a light. Attending Loyola on a full scholarship, Jimi was majoring in business and was recognized on Loyola’s Dean’s List for both the fall and spring semesters of his freshman year. Many remember him as unique, selfless, a great friend, and someone who would brighten up anyone’s day.

Social media saw an overwhelming amount of support for Patrick’s family and was filled with memories and heartfelt words.

Frank Boni ’20, Jimi’s roommate and close friend, looked to social media to help memorialize Jimi.

On July 13, one week after Jimi was reported missing by his grandparents and the day his murder was confirmed, Boni wrote, “Jimi, I promise I’ll never forget you. I’ll use your mind set of passion and drive for the rest of my life. I’m going to miss all the late nights talking about our future lives, our future kids and our lives in general. You will be my brother and best friend forever. I know you’ll always be by my side. We will meet again brother, I promise that.”

Boni wrote again on Sept. 2, the day before the start of a new semester without his friend. “I lost a friend who I now realize kept me rooted and down to earth…A soul that found joy in every aspect of his life even with all the adversity he faced. The kid who kept every friendship he ever made, who kept a 3.8 GPA, who spent 4 hours in the gym every day, and who did everything he did with the utmost integrity and hard work is no longer around,” Boni wrote on Instagram. “It is really taking more than I could ever imagine finding something to even remotely resemble what Jimi meant to everyone around him.”

Ariana Lambos ’20, another friend of Jimi’s, confirmed that he was a special person.

“He brought so much to the Loyola community through his hard work, ambition and courageous attitude. He was always determined to do his best, and make the best of what he had. Most people on campus would probably know him as that ‘kid who was always in the FAC,’” she said. “The next three years here will no longer be the same without seeing his smiling face through campus.”

It is evident Jimi Patrick’s positive presence will be truly missed by everyone on Loyola’s campus.

“If Jimi taught me one thing it’s that life isn’t about pleasing others and making others happy, it’s about giving all you have to be happy and successful,” Boni wrote. “I really can’t even believe he’s gone, and I can’t say it gets any easier. But, I realized that life is what you make of it. Since life is so short, it is vital to stay true to self and appreciate each moment.”

*Featured image courtesy of Frank Boni