“Last night, a beautiful light in our home was darkened,” said Fr. Jim Mayzik, S.J. during his homily to the throng of mourners who gathered Friday night in memory of Alejandro “Alex” Carrion ’08, who died in Loyola Hall that morning.
As of press time, the cause of Alex’s death was still unknown.
“Upon the death of a loved one, everything seems to come unglued . . . it seems like creation has forgotten its form,” said Mayzik. “All of us, at the moment of death, pause in uncertainty, forgetting what it is.”
Softly illuminated by candlelight, the service in the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola served as a source of comfort and hope for a community stunned by untimely death.
“It takes long to realize that nothing will ever be the same again,” said Mayzik. “When this happens, what can you do? What is the meaning of this? How do we resume the beat.”
The congregation sat captivated by Mayzik’s soft yet commanding presence as a homilist, with little so much as a sniffle throughout.
Gatherers filled every seat in the chapel. Classmates and fellow residents of Loyola Hall occupied some seats, while teachers and administrators filled some more. Still, others did not know Alex but came and took a seat in the chapel, bound by their communion with him as a member of the Fairfield community.
Following the liturgy of the Eucharist, friends of Alex approached the pulpit, sharing thoughts, reflections, and memories of their time with him.
“Sometimes we would fight like an old married couple,” said Alex’s roommate, Mike Maggi ’08, fondly. “The best thing about him was his innate goodness.”
Another friend tried to describe Alex’s essence to those who did not know him.
“You never walked away from Alex with a frown on your face,” he said.
“The door to Room 222 was always open,” said a fellow resident of Loyola Hall. “He would always give a big wave to me when I passed by, inviting me in to talk. Alex was known for his hospitality and good-natured attitude.”
Another friend offered, “Some people say that every life can be counted by the number of beats of your heart. Alex used his heart so much, that maybe that’s why he left us.”
As Mayzik said in his homily, “Alex is a beautiful light, not ever, ever to go out.”
Alex’s mother entered the service just before the closing prayer, and was invited to say a few words.
“Alex loved Fairfield. He loved his friends. He had his second home at Fairfield,” she said tearfully amidst the weeps of the congregation. “He blossomed here. He was beautiful . . . he was a light.”
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