Tragedy provides opportunity for renewed school unity and spirit

We are in the midst of tragedy here at Seton Hall. You don't need me, or any other person, to tell you that. The thoughts and memories of Jessica Ann Moore and the events that happened on Sept. 25, will forever be in our minds.

The process of healing has only just begun. For some people it will only take a couple of days or weeks to get back to their daily routines. Yet, still for others this process may take months or even years.

All people heal in different ways. Some go about their everyday lives with a somber look in their eyes, while others go about smiling and making jokes. However, one thing that can help all people heal is being with others for a good cause. For students here at the Hall, that cause has and always will be the Pirates.

Prior to this catastrophe, attendance at home games has been higher than from years past. According to the statistics page on SHUPirates.com, the men's soccer team is averaging 639 people per home game, while the women are averaging 466 and the volleyball team 308. There seems to be a feeling of Pirate Pandemonium whenever our teams take the field or court.

In the second issue of The Setonian, volleyball head coach Kris Zeiter said, "Playing at home is great…there was an amazing turn out today."

In his blog post on Sept 8, Zeiter further credited Pirates fans for making Walsh Gym the loudest he has ever heard it.

"It was one of the best crowds we have ever had and I know that it was a huge part of why we played so well and came away with a win," he said.

As Pirates fans, this is the time to come together. We can grieve and cheer at the same time.

This tragic event is being called as the worst thing to happen to the Hall since the Boland Hall fire on Jan. 20, 2000, when three freshmen died in a student-caused fire on the third floor of Boland North.

Assistant Athletics Director of Communications Matthew Sweeney was a senior communications major at Seton Hall at the time of the fire.

He describes the time following the fire as being somber, but it did a lot to bring the campus together.

"We needed something to rally around," Sweeney said. "We rallied around each other. We rallied around the blue and the white. We rallied our Setonia and our basketball team gave us a wonderful gift in March."

After reading through different stories and talking with members of her family, it is evident that Moore was one of the biggest Pirates fans on this campus.

"Jessica was a huge Pirates fan," Sweeney said. "Jessica loved Pirate athletics. She was a big, big basketball fan. She loved wearing the blue and white."

She loved the blue and white so much so that her family requested that students attending her funeral wear blue and white.

Let's all do what Jessica would have wanted, that is cheer for the Pirates with all that we have.

With soccer in the middle of their season and basketball just around the corner, now is the time to bring out the blue and white.

Many have criticized the lack of school pride, myself included, but in this time of need the blue and white are all we have to bring the Seton Hall community together.

Tim Lecras is a junior journalism major from Forked River, NJ. Tim can be reached at timothy.lecras@student.shu.edu.