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By Rebecca Smith '99
On Jan. 21, 65 friends and family members of the late John Farrell '91 gathered in New York City to celebrate his life and raise funds for a scholarship in his name.
Shortly after Farrell died in the World Trade Center on 9/11, his family set up a scholarship at the Nativity Mission Center in lower Manhattan. Although Farrell did not attend the school, he was moved by a friend's experience there and was deeply impressed by the opportunities that it provided to inner-city boys. Therefore, his family decided to turn their tragedy into a blessing for other young men.
The John G. Farrell Memorial Scholarship is presented annually to a Nativity graduate "in recognition of the lasting value of a Jesuit education and in thanksgiving for the blessings John received as a student and alumnus of Jesuit schools." The scholarship enables recipients to attend Catholic high schools in New York, such as Farrell's alma mater, Xavier High School. His mother, Marie Farrell, recalls the family's decision to support Nativity graduates as "an inspiration."
His friends organized a "Day for Farrell" to help fund the scholarship, and due to such a generous response, it became fully endowed in just two years. Instead of discontinuing the event, however, family friend and president of Nativity Mission Center, Rev. Vin DeCola, S.J., suggested that the event be expanded to benefit Nativity's sister school, Brooklyn Jesuit Prep (BJP). The original Brooklyn Prep—from which Farrell's father graduated—was closed in 1972 but was reopened by the Jesuits in 2003.
Now in its fourth year, the Day for Farrell raises money for a second scholarship, the John G. Farrell Memorial Scholarship Fund at Brooklyn Jesuit Prep. Assisting recipients, like the original, with tuition costs at Catholic high schools in New York, it will be presented annually to a BJP graduate who "embodies John's virtues of an optimistic spirit, a keen sense of justice and a generous concern for others."
Planned by Farrell's good friends Tim '92 and Maura McGovern '92, Rory Keenan '92, Jim Finn '91 and childhood friend John Ryan, this year's event drew a large crowd of alumni, including Brian Donovan '92, Kevin Curley '90 and Joe Greene '92. Eric Probst '91 and Bill Simmons '92 participated by donating prizes for the raffle.
Since 9/11, the greater Holy Cross community has reached out to the Farrells on numerous occasions. Marie Farrell has been moved by the College's response.
"After John's death, our family was totally overwhelmed by the outreach that came from the College," she says. "We can never express how much the outpouring of love has meant to us, and we are deeply impressed by the spirit of Holy Cross."
In that spirit, the Day for Farrell began with a Mass of remembrance at Xavier, celebrated by Fr. DeCola and Rev. Mickey Corcoran, S.J. In attendance were the four Nativity graduates currently holding the John G. Farrell Memorial Scholarship at Xavier and a number of faculty members from Nativity and BJP.
After Mass, in honor of Farrell's love of St. John's University men's basketball, the group cheered the team on to victory over the University of Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden. A celebratory post-game reception was held at M.J. Armstrong's, a sports bar named after one of Farrell's friends and co-workers who also died on 9/11.
The evening ended with a raffle of prizes that included two tickets to the NCAA Final Four and a "Day at Fenway Park." Over $32,000 was raised, which—together with last year's event and other contributions— brought the total BJP scholarship fund to over $75,000.
"Of course, the event is about much more than raising money—although that is a noble and wonderful cause," explains Tim McGovern. "For me, personally, it is a day to reflect on a great friendship and the fantastic experiences that I was able to have with John. Again this year, I believe that the Day for Farrell was one that John would have enjoyed being a part of."
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