F&M was struck by tragedy on February 10, as we lost one of our own, Eric Phillips ’15, from Oakland, CA. Eric was hanging out with friends in the early hours of that morning around 2:13 a.m. in Ware College House when he collapsed and could not be revived. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was only 20 when he died. He was also the only child of his two parents, Byron Phillips and Sherri Pittman.
In light of the event, we are left to mourn Eric in all the ways we can. This is not about his death; rather it is about the life he lived.
Eric was a true gentleman. He would open doors for others to pass, and would always do it with a smile on his face. He was always there if someone needed an ear to listen, and he had a laugh that could make the whole world smile. Eric was a DJ for the radio station, where his love of music shone, and he was also an active member of 1 in 4, a male group on campus that raised awareness of sexual assault. Many in his dorm, Ware College House, knew Eric, as he was someone who was not easily forgotten. Eric was an active participant in class, and was always there for anyone both in and out of the classroom. He was loved and admired by both professors and his fellow students.
We here at F&M have not and will not forget Eric. We have had multiple memorial services for him, including one sponsored by Ware College House, which was a candlelight vigil, and a memorial service for the whole F&M community on February 13. His life will be remembered in the poems he wrote, the music he enjoyed, the friends he had, the way he treated anyone and everyone who crossed his path, the acts of kindness he performed every day. Everything he did was done with a big smile on his face that would light up the whole room.
Eric, you will be sorely missed by everyone here at F&M. You meant a lot to us, and our community is not the same without you. We are proud that you chose us to be your college family, and we are proud to have known you, and how amazing you were to all of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family now. We miss you. It was an honor to know you and to be a part of your life. May your memory be a blessing.
Thanks for all the good times Eric. Keep on smiling. You may be gone, but you will never be forgotten.
In memoriam, Eric H. Phillips, July 11, 1992-February 10, 2013.