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February 28, 2004
Brother Reflects on a Year Without Nate
Below you will find Brother Philip Morris' reflection that he shared with those gathered at Brother Nate Osterbur's Memorial Service on February 22nd. Nate entered Chapter Eternal on February 23rd, 2003 after suffering a severe head trauma in the Athletics and Recreations Center on Valparaiso University's Campus. Nate has been missed dearly this past year and we feel it appropriate to keep everyone up to date on the Chapter's progress with our loss of Nate. Nothing could be more fitting than presenting the emotional remarks that Phil gave to us on February 22nd.
-Webmaster-
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As spoken by Philip Morris, February 22nd, 2003:
Good Evening,
First, on behalf of the men of Sigma Chi, I would like to thank everyone for joining us here this evening.
Nate’s life effected all of us, in varying ways, yet it speaks volumes of his character to see that, here, a year later, he’s still effecting our lives. He’s still with us, in our hearts and in our minds.
Over the past few months people have asked, at various times, what emotions I anticipate I’ll be feeling tonight and tomorrow. Truthfully, I never had any idea. Yet, last night, a distinct emotion began to surface in my head. It was a feeling of privilege.
Tonight, here in the peace and solemnity of the chapel, almost exactly a year since many of us gathered in prayer, with heavy hearts after a weary 4 days, we once again join together.
Last year, there was uncertainty mixed with restrained hope permeating through the chapel. However, there is a decidedly different atmosphere this evening. Tonight, we gather for our own personal reasons, yet we do so with an undoubtedly different mindset. I’d like to share my own.
This evening, I feel privileged. I feel privileged to be here with you, with members of Nate’s family, with those whom Nate touched in an intimate way, and with those who may have never met Nate. I feel privileged tonight, to share memories, to share hugs, and to share prayers.
Tonight, I feel most privileged to have known Nate Osterbur. One of our pledges asked me the other day what Nate was like, and immediately, unconsciously, the beginnings of a smile flickered at the corners of my mouth. As I related stories of midnight trips to Subway, that smile began to swell. I tried to explain how much Nate respected, and truly loved his mother and father, and how much he admired his older brother and sister. I tried to explain how much of a passion he had for music. I tried to explain how Nate truly understood the concept of friendship.
If you never met Nate, understanding how he made his friends feel is somewhat easy. Start, by smiling. Smile as big as you possibly can. Smile so large that you’re cheeks begin to close your eyes from underneath. Then, once you’re smiling as large as you ever have, try and smile a bit larger. If you had the privilege of ever meeting Nate, ever getting to talk with him, sit with him in class, room with him, hang with him, eat with him, pledge with him, create music with him, this is how he made you feel. He was blessed with the ability to cause your heart to smile as large as humanly possible, then smile a bit larger. He did it over and over. Which I believe is why we’re here tonight.
Just because we don’t see Nate in class, in the VUCA, in chapter, or on campus doesn’t mean he isn’t still making us smile. Once you get through the darkness, push away the grief, and dry your tears, you come to realize that what made you smile in the first place, is still there. I’ve begun to realize that he isn’t too far off, even a year later. Look inside your heart…if you’re here tonight, then most likely, Nate is still there, doing whatever it will take to make you smile…