Lights Shine for Brendan Murray

On another night, in years past, Brendan Murray and his football team of brothers would have taken to the field as his friends, classmates and family members watched from the packed home bleachers. The stadium would have been filled with screams as the crowd cheered the team onto victory.

On the evening of Thursday, Dec. 1, Brendan's football coaches and teammates were on the sidelines while friends, fellow alums and current students filled the bleachers. Teachers, administrators and Brendan's family and longtime girlfriend were also present, but the stadium was as quiet as a church. Teary-eyed teens hugged each other tightly, sometimes burying sobs into a friend's shoulder. The only Viking on the field was the golden statue that stands on the school grounds, and it bore Brendan's #5 jersey.

This night -- in the place that Brendan's father, Doug, described as another home to his son -- the Perkiomen Valley community gathered to honor the 2011 graduate whose life was cut short Nov. 28.

A candlelight vigil, which began at the suggestion of eight students, brought in a crowd of hundreds. Tables were set up for attendees to write letters to the Murray family or make donations. and donated the flowers that adorned the tables.

During the hourlong event, countless words were said and tears were shed as each speaker shared memories of Brendan, and how much he meant.

"If you look around, it is obvious Brendan had an impact on many people," high school principal Cyndi Lewis said during the opening remarks. She quoted a parent she had spoken with this week, noting, "'His work on Earth was done, and God wanted him with Him.' While that may only comfort us for one second, please know that he is safe and happy."

Brendan's former football coach Tim Connolly told the assembled crowd, "Coaching football and teaching, you can't help but fall in love with certain kids -- Murr was one of those kids."
He concluded his remarks with portions of the poem "To Those I Love."
"Grieve not / Nor speak of me with tears / But laugh and talk of me as if I were beside you there..."

"You just couldn't help but like this kid," said football coach and teacher Rob Heist. "His energy and his love for life was infectious. He was a devoted friend and boyfriend. His ability to connect and fit with all different types of people was amazing to witness. So few people in this world have the ability to bring people together, and that was one of Brendan's strengths."
He told the crowd that when he was 16 years old, his best friend died in a car accident on Wartman Road.
"What I would say to Brendan's friends, is you'll never forget him, nor should you. But with each passing day, it's going to become a little bit easier to bear."

Friend and former teammate Ryan D'Ambrosio said he "always really looked up to (Brendan) as a role model and a brother," and read from a poem he wrote for Brendan, called "Missing You": "The memories you and I share, I will never forget / So many good times and not a single regret / And with tears in my eyes / it's time to say goodbye to you / But one more thing -- missing you."

Among the common memories of Brendan -- his toughness, his leadership, his loyalty and his large heart -- many of speakers provoked smiles through the tears as they brought up his sense of humor and seemed to find little moments when Brendan's spirit was giving them a nudge.
People recalled his "notorious 'Jesus' sandals" and the sight of him dressed up as a cheerleader for girlfriend Jessica Boyle's senior year Powder Puff game.
One of Brendan's best friends, Ramsey Bickel, talked about how they had re-enacted the dance from the movie "Remember the Titans" for the school talent show. Bickel told everyone he flew home this week, and on the plane, "everyone was old and over 40," except for one "beautiful girl," the only other person his age was seated next to him.
"Thanks, Bren, I know that was you," he said.
When the tones rang over the tributes as firefighters responded to a small fire, friend Austin Mann joked, "If that wasn't Brendan, I don't know what was."

After "Bren's boys" were finished, Lewis noted that as they spoke, a star was falling in the sky, and called it "a tear from heaven."

Brendan's parents stepped up to the podium as the vigil drew to a close, and thanked the community for their love and support.

"His time with us was brief, but he packed a lot of life into 19 years," Mr. Murray said, remembering his son as "a very special young man" with a heart of gold.

As he and his wife, Sherri, listened to the shared memories, she said to him, "'I'm starting to feel warm again,'" he shared with the crowd.
"That peace (that will grow with time and healing) is starting to come," he said.

Feeling that "something good must come of this," and as part of Brendan's support for the organ donation program, "right now someone is receiving two new corneas." Someone will be "seeing through Brendan's eyes," his father said, jokingly adding that that was a little scary.
Brendan's body tissue and heart valves have also been donated, so "Brendan's out there," his father said.
He encouraged his son's friends to use Brendan's life and his example as a foundation to grow and do good things in the world.