Remembering his love of life, courage, and kindness toward all, faculty and students gathered in Goddard Chapel Friday afternoon to honor Tufts junior David Medeiros. Medeiros, 20, died last month after a year and a half battle with pancreatic cancer.
A child development major who worked at the Eliot-Pearson Daycare Center last fall and was an active member of the student theater group Pen, Paint, and Pretzels (3Ps), Medeiros will be missed, administrators, students and faculty said.
Father David O'Leary, who welcomed students to the service, read a passage written by family members. Medeiros' family stressed that above all, he "loved kids," and that "he wanted more than anything to become a father." His family asked those who have or will have children to cherish them, and those who teach children to "teach them well" in honor of David.
The family emphasized his desire to live life to its fullest, even as a young boy. When given the opportunity to become involved in a new endeavor, his response was always an eager "sign me up," and he spent time advising younger scouts in the Boy Scouts of America and as a swimming instructor.
Close friends Aditi Gupta and Beth Gaertner called Medeiros the "kind of guy you'd feel privileged to meet once." They told of Medeiros' love of cooking and of a time when the three had planned to go to his house so he could teach them to bake cookies. Instead, he ended up in the hospital and was unable to be with them. Despite his condition, he offered to send them cookies in the mail to make up for not being there. The two called this type of selfless behavior typical of their friend.
Administrators who attended the event expressed their pride at Medeiros' continued contributions to the community. Interim University Chaplain Patricia Kepler gave the invocation. "We weep for the great loss of David Medeiros, we celebrate all that he was," she said.
President Emeritus John DiBiaggio called Medeiros the "quintessential Tufts student" - exemplifying academic excellence, extracurricular involvement, wonderful friendship to all who knew him, and "such vitality and such love of life." He spoke of Medeiros' insistence that he attend classes and participate in normal activities even while suffering with intense pain caused by the cancer.
From the initial diagnosis, Medeiros "maintained optimism that was incredible," DiBiaggio said. "He taught us how to die with dignity," he added, calling him a "true Jumbo whose spirit should be an inspiration to us all."
Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said Medeiros will be remembered for his courage and generosity. Reitman read an excerpt from Medeiros' Tufts admissions essay in which the college hopeful accredited his "close-knit family" with encouraging, supporting, and helping him to discover the truly important aspects of life. "In all of my endeavors I know I will have the continued support" of family and friends, the essay read.
Reitman said that while those endeavors were cut short, Medeiros made the most of his time at Tufts.
Friends said they were particularly touched by Medeiros' love of life. Close friend Kristin Leahey spoke of the transition she observed within him over the course of his time at Tufts, from a shy freshman to a mature young man. "What I never got to tell my dear friend Dave was, 'Thank you. Thank you for teaching me how to live,' " Leahey said.
Medeiros played a large role in the theater community on campus, both acting in and directing performances. Department of Drama and Dance chair Barbara Grossman said she was honored to have experienced Medeiros' "electric presence and participation" She added that his "vision, passion, and wonderful comic flair" made his directorial debut - 3Ps Fall 2001 minor production Reflections on Ice-Breaking - unforgettable.
Medeiros once spent 12 hours in the emergency room and told his doctors that he had to perform that night because his fellow cast members needed him. He left the hospital at 7 p.m. to perform at a 9 p.m. show. Only his parents knew the intensity of his pain as he played Elvis in the 3Ps minor production of Picasso at the Lapin Agille.
Artist in Residence Anthony Cornish said that from the day of his first audition, Medeiros was a well-known face in the department. "David made a very real impression upon us all as a creative, talented, and witty man who will be missed," Cornish said.
Friends and fellow Tufts students Kathy Eagan and Amy Reid read from sacred scripture before the chapel was filled with the sounds of one of Medeiros' favorite songs, "I'll Fly Away," from the soundtrack to O' Brother Where Art Thou?
Medeiros worked with two of his doctors at the Dana Farber Institute and participated in several Harvard Medical School courses, helping doctors understand the needs and anxieties of cancer patients, especially young adults. O'Leary read the words of one Harvard Medical School faculty member who said Medeiros' help was inspirational to many. "Patients of students will benefit for years to come," O'Leary read.One night when Medeiros could not sleep, his family shared, he told his mother that he felt like the luckiest person in the world. When Pauline asked him to explain, wondering how a person in so much pain could feel that way, he said, "Because I felt completely surrounded by love."
Medeiros is survived by his parents, Frank and Pauline (Turco) Medeiros and his sister, Lea Medeiros
Contributions may be made to the David A. Medeiros Memorial Fund, c/o Ben Franklin Savings Bank 76 North Street Medfield, MA 02052.
