“True friends are the ones that never leave your heart,” said Andrew Moran, a Shippensburg University alumnus. These words echoed through the multipurpose room of the Ceddia Union Building (CUB) on Saturday during a memorial service for an SU student who died this summer.

Shippensburg University students gathered to remember Samuel Cabrera, who died Aug. 8. Cabrera’s fraternity brothers in Theta Xi’s Gamma Chi chapter coordinated, planned and hosted the event.

The memorial began with a prayer from the Rev. Jan Bye, SU campus minister.

Afterward, Dean Bob, assistant dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, led a flower ceremony where one member from each of SU’s fraternities and sororities placed its organization’s flower in a vase, which was later given to Cabrera’s family.

Following the flower ceremony, members of Theta Xi flooded the stage to read a prayer for Cabrera.

The highlight of the service was the individual speeches from Cabrera’s girlfriend and fraternity brothers.

Cabrera’s girlfriend, Cierra Triest, shared stories of her former boyfriend and explained his character.

“The life he lived is amazing,” Triest said. “It inspires us to live a little more.”

Following Triest’s speech, Alex Feehan, Brandon Etzler and Andrew Moran provided eulogies for Cabrera, each of which featured personal memories and described Cabrera’s impact on their lives.

Moran described Cabrera’s character, talked about his fondness for the memories the two shared. Moran even mentioned he and Cabrera’s years-long FIFA rivalry.

Feehan used his time on stage to remind Cabrera’s friends and family why Cabrera was so well liked.

“He treated everyone like family,” Feehan said.

Despite Feehan’s optimism, he admits that the last month has not been easy.

“It honestly feels like a bad dream that I’m waiting to wake up from,” Feehan said.

Etzler explained that while he only knew Cabrera for a few years, his time with Cabrera was priceless.

“He holds a special place in all of our lives,” Etzler said.

Following Cabrera’s eulogies, SU alumnus and Theta Xi brother Anthony Defabio read a poem and shared some of his favorite memories of Cabrera.

Bob took the stage a second time to commence a lavalier ceremony, a practice that Bob described as “the highest honor a Greek organization can give.” Theta Xi’s Gamma Chi President Grant Hawley presented the lavaliers, a small charm usually worn on a necklace, to Cabrera’s mother and Triest.

Finally, SU President George “Jody” Harpster presented Cabrera’s family with his diploma, signifying the end of Cabrera’s senior year.

The memorial service ended with a final prayer from Bye, followed by the playing of Rihanna’s “Work.”

Anyone interested in donating to Cabrera’s family can do so through Cabrera’s GoFundMe page, or by purchasing a bracelet from a member of Theta Xi.

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