The death of Terrence Ambro, an Ohio University freshman from New York, has moved three OU freshmen to help others come to terms with what happened.
The students have organized a memorial Sunday night to remember Ambro’s life and time at OU.
Ambro, who was studying history, was found dead on the third floor of Washington Hall on East Green on Sept. 16.
Freshmen Diana Wahl, studying marketing, and Jaimee Plantinga and Jill Kata, both who have yet to declare a major, are organizing the vigil.
“I formed a really tight group of friends and he was one of them,” Plantinga said. “He was one of those kids — I’d literally turn around in my room and see Terrence.”
Though she only knew Ambro for three weeks, he had become one of her best friends at OU, Plantinga added.
The memorial will be held from 8-9 p.m. Sept. 23 on the lawn between Washington and Bush halls.
There will be white paper bags on which students can write messages to pay their respects to Ambro. Glow sticks will then be placed inside the bags and set around the outside of the hall.
At about 9 p.m., Ambro’s closest friends at OU will say a few words about him before having a moment of silence to remember him, Plantinga said.
“He was a really great student and a really great friend of mine, and he always had a smile on his face and was always happy to be here at OU,” Wahl said. “I’m sorry to see him go.”
Ambro’s death appears to be a suicide, OU Police Chief Andrew Powers said, adding the investigation will not be complete for several weeks.
OU’s Dean of Students office is helping to pay for the bags and glow sticks, as well as promoting the memorial through social media, said Interim Dean for Student Affairs Jenny Hall-Jones.
“I had the honor and privilege to personally have met Terrence, and I’m sure that I, along with every other Bobcat on this campus, was touched by him,” said Anthony Pruni, an East Green student senator.
Pruni, who will be attending the memorial, said he believes everyone needs to remember Terrence.
“It’s moments like these that you see at OU … that we’re a family, and that really came out last Sunday with the outpouring of support (for Ambro),” Pruni said. “East Green needs to keep up doing what they’ve been doing.”
dd195710@ohiou.edu
