One month on, students learning to cope with a double loss

By Melissa Colabraro

ROME, Feb. 21 - Tomorrow marks a sad anniversary for John Cabot University. It has been one  month since the back-to-back tragic deaths of JCU students Alessandro Mioni and Karen M. Young.

One month into the semester, the sudden deaths of these two remarkable individuals still holds a place in each student’s heart.

Mioni died in a moped accident the night of Jan. 22. Young’s body was found two days later, just a few hundred yards from the Ponte Sisto Bridge, not far from the JCU campus.

“It's still heartbreaking to remind oneself that [Alessandro] is no longer with us, and a part of us,” says Stephanie Gabriele, a longtime friend of Alessandro.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before…I still thought [Karen] was going to storm in the door and say something ridiculous and make me laugh as she normally did,” says Erica Smith, roommates of Karen Young.   

 

“It’s a grief process.  Sharing memories is important,” says Chris Curry, Dean of Students at JCU.  “We’ve returned to our routine, but we haven’t forgotten them and I don’t think we should.” 

Curry says it was through the JCU community pulling together that helped the students through this tragedy.  “We don’t know what everyone is thinking…but some have been attending the counselor here at JCU,” he adds.

Students have coped with this heartbreak in their own individual way. Students such as Smith now believe “life is short and you never know what is going to happen so live [your] life to [the] fullest and enjoy every moment.”  Smith has coped with this by spending time with her family away from Rome and through her friends here.

Curry emphasizes students seeking counseling are advised to see the school counselor, Dr. Elaine Luti.  Her office is located below the registrar's office at JCU.  She is available Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m., or by email at eluti@johncabot.edu.