In Loving Memory

Four years ago today, I lost a very close friend of mine. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long since my Scranton Swimming teammate was taken away from us. In 2006, I was a sophomore in college having the time of my life. Spring break rolled around, and everyone was excited to head home to be with their home friends and families, or to hit up Spring Break destinations.

As a senior at The University of Scranton, Brendan Giblin headed down to Panama City Florida with some friends. Only two days into spring break, on a Thursday night/Friday morning, while stumbling home from the bar, he was struck by not one, but two drunk drivers.

I find it apt to remember him today here, because I remember exactly what I was doing when I found out – eating. I was sitting at my computer, eating a tuna and apple sandwich (sounds weird, but SO good!) when a friend called, recounting the horrific story. When they got to the part where Brendan had been hit, I remember saying “He’s ok, RIGHT?”, imagining him somewhere in a hospital bed, beaten and bruised. In that moment, my whole world came crashing down. I remember screaming for my mom, hysterically crying, and not knowing where to go from there. I tried to call everyone I knew to make sure they had found out.

I spent the rest of spring break trying to wrap my head around a concept that I had up until that point, never really encountered. The idea of having to say goodbye to a dear friend that I had become so close with was something my 19 year old self just couldn’t understand.

My teammates, friends, and I spent the rest of that 2006 spring semester honoring Brendan’s life. Some of us even went so far as to get tattoos in his memory. The swim team went ahead and purchased a record board in his name in 2008, and every year after his death, there’s a memorial golf outing to celebrate his life and give back to communities he loved so much.

There isn’t a day that goes by I don’t think about Brendan. I know that’s the case for anyone that had their lives touched by him. So for me, this is just another way to honor him at 4 years gone. Love & miss, biffy.