THE BSERVER April 16, 1997 THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER VOLUME xv, i..ueio Students react to McNeill's Death Patrick McNeill Found Dead and Media Blitz By Clemente Lisi with Reporting around 5:00 PM to break the news to From Christine Vaccaro family members. By Christine Vaccaro McNeill was last seen at The A massive 52-day citywide search Dapper Dog Bar on 92nd Street and After seven grueling weeks of for Patrick McNeill, the 21-year-old Second Avenue, just three blocks uncertainty and dwindling hope, Fordham junior last seen partying away from the river. At around mid- Patrick McNeill was found dead on with friends on February 16 at an night, McNeill decided to head back the shores of the East River on Upper East Side bar, ended in heart- to Rose Hill when a female student Monday, April 7. Rose Hill students break on April 7 when his dead body asked him to wait for her while she who had rallied together weeks was found washed ashore near the went to the rest room. When she before to locate Patrick, once again 69th Street pier in Bay Ridge, returned several minutes later, he was gathered, this time to honor Brooklyn, police said. gone. According to police, McNeill Patrick's memory. McNeill was found by a U.S. Army was drunk at the time. In a service held at the University Corps of Engineers boat that was on After noting his absence two days Church, throngs of students met to routine patrol in the area, said William later, the female student reported him support one another, just hours after Allee, Chief of Detectives for the New missing to school security, who in turn Patrick McNeill the news had been broadcasted York Police Department. contacted police. of McNeill. O'Hare reminded stu- to the campus, The body, which was found at For the next seven weeks, hun- dents to stick together now just as "It was devastating to see the loss around 10:00" AM, was at first uniden- dreds of volunteers searched the they did when they were searching of hope in so many people's eyes," tifiable, according to Allee, but with Upper East Side and distributed fliers for him. O'Hare also recalled the pre- said Tammy Abraham, FCRH '98. the help of finger prints, dental in the hope of locating McNeill. A few vious deaths of Bill Tierney, FCRH "People who I knew had devoted so records, and the Celtic cross tattoo weeks ago, several eyewitnesses '98, and Raymond Milward, FCRH'Q much time and effort into finding that McNeill had on his right bicep, * claimed to have seen McNeill wander- 00. Tierney collapsed from heart fail- their friend. It was really comforting police were able to positively identify ing aimlessly in Queens, but police ure during a football game on to know, see the community come the body as McNeill's later in the day. now dismiss those sightings, claiming October 12, and Milward died from together at a time like that It was lit- Preliminary autopsy results have that McNeill had probably died the Meningitis on February 8. erally standing room only in revealed that there was no trauma to night of his disappearance. At a separate gathering, dozens of there, she said. the body and investigators say that it The family is currently in seclu- volunteers based in Port Chester also "You almost couldn't get in," said may take several weeks to figure out sion, but through a spokesperson, mourned. Joanne Feeney, FCRH '99. "We were how McNeill died—whether he was they expressed their gratitude to all "The entire Fordham community just in the doorway." murdered, committed suicide, or died the volunteers and students who offers its prayers to Mr. and Ms. In addition to students, many as the result of an accident. Although helped in the search. "We can find McNeill and his brother and sister reporters and cameras were in his beeper and wallet were missing, comfort in the fact that we did every- during this tragic hour," O'Hare said. attendance as well. police said that the current in the East thing possible in searching for our "I was shaken up by it. Not only "Some people were extremely River could have washed them away. son," said Jeff Gray, a family because he was a student but upset about the {continued to pg 3} Since McNeill was found in the same spokesman, reading a statement because the way he was found was so clothing he was wearing on February released by the McNeill family. "The incredibly gruesome," said Mary 16, police officials said they believe he support and love that all of you have Terese Ray, FCRH '98. "Even though FCLC Senior Dies, died the same night. shown us over the last seven weeks people said the longer he's missing, Father Joseph O'Hare, S.J., has kept us going." the worse it is, I don't think anybody Memorial to Susan Lipani President of the University, and John Later in the evening, a prayer vigil believed he was not coming back Carroll, head of Fordham security, was held at Rose Hill where students here," she said, This has been such accompanied police to Port Chester at packed the church to mourn the loss an incredible shock." • "Pepsi Cola Read! Hour" , Commentary'-^ Has the Yearbook Tradition Ended? By Bonnie Gass Stratford said. The portrait studio that took the The time-honored tradition of hav- senior pictures donated film to the pEarth DayjW ing your friends sign your yearbook yearbook, which Kollar distributed to Bother? will only be a daydream for FCLC's students for candid photos. However, senior class. The 1997 yearbook will he said the students never returned Features not be published, making it the sec- the film. ond consecutive year that FCI£ has Kollar was in the process of laying not published a yearbook. out senior photos with his two-person John Kollar, FCLC'96, said that he there was that much apathy at Lincoln staff when he was offered a job and agreed to take over the responsibility Center," he said. decided to graduate early. He said that of the 1997 yearbook. Kollar said he "Historically, the staff has been a eight completed pages were turned posted fliers around FCLC to attract skeleton staff," said Bernie Stratford, over to Stratford and Mary Jane volunteers, but only two freshmen former Dean of Students at FCLC. Conlon, who would soon take over the responded. "The senior class is not The largest yearbook staff in seven position of Dean of Students. That's interested. I didn't want to believe years has been only four people, all I knew until two {continued to pg 6) FCLC Senior Susan Lipani Dies By Cara Lynn Shultz "The most remarkable thing about "The last time I spoke to her, she her was her strength and her spirit. said, 'My goal is to make it to May,'" She was all about life," said Sarah Hendricks said. Although the Gifford about her friend and room- University issued her a diploma, mate of three years, Susan Lipani, who Henricks said that Sue wanted to grad- died on Saturday, April 5, from cancer. uate in May with her class. "She was... Sue had been diganosed with the bravest person I've ever seen," Pediatric Bone Cancer when she was Hendricks said. younger, Gifford said. "She was so easygoing and just real- Sue, FCLC '97, was a Studio Arts ly mellow," Gifford said. "She would major and wanted to work with chil- do anything for anybody." dren who had catastrophic illnesses, In addition to a memorial service according to Rita Hendricks, Assistant held last Sunday in her hometown of Dean of FCLC and Director of High Bridge, Ne9v Jersey, students Academic Advising. "She felt that she gathered on the Plaza last Thursday in would reach them through her art," Sue's memory. Hendricks said. Instead of flowers, donations in Although she was ^suffering from Sue's name may be given to The Hole , "She ted cancer, Hendricks said that Sue rtever in the Wajl Gang* which is a camp for asked for any exceptions. When Sue children with cancer and related blood people withdrew from one class, the profes- diseases where Sue worked as a coun- sor offered to pass her based on the selor. Donations may also be sent to abrav< work she had done in the class. The Tomorrow's Children Fund, an However, Sue. requested an incom- organization which supports families tinder plete. ,'To quote her, she wanted to of children with cancer, and is dedicat- learn," Hendricks said. ed to fighting pediatric cancer. • This past Saturday, the fifth of April any human being. I am sure Sue may 1997, the world lost one of it's best. have lied to herself during her weak Susan Lipani gave up her fight against moments, but she was more honest 'You didn't necessarily cancer. Yet it did not beat her; it did than anyone else I have ever encoun- not get the best of her. On the con- tered. She had a bravery that most trary, she used it to do so much good people do not even know exists, a know Sue, but you in her life that her example serves to bravery that I do not fully understand. remind everyone who knew her of all I knew Sue for just over a year. I experienced her" the possibilities in life. The most pow- care for her very much and I know erful image I have in my mind is of she cared about me as well.