Sigma Chi loss
 

Thursday, July 17, 2003

Son's fraternity brings mom solace

By Reid Forgrave
The Cincinnati Enquirer


Sunday, Yolanda Sullivan buried her only son, Michael Sullivan, a 19-year-old Miami Township man who died in a motorcycle accident on the Fourth of July weekend.

About 70 of her son's Sigma Chi fraternity brothers attended the services, and each dropped a white rose into Sullivan's coffin, a fraternity ceremony that inducts the spring pledge into "chapter eternal."

After the service, Ben Hines, president of the University of Cincinnati fraternity chapter, went up to Sullivan in the kitchen of her home. The fraternity brothers cooked at the reception and cleaned up after everyone.

"You've lost a son, and we've lost a brother," Hines told her. "But now you have hundreds of sons."

Then he told her the fraternity planned to start a scholarship in her son's name for new members.

For Sullivan, who lost her husband two years ago, it was more than a gesture. It solidified her pride in her son's fraternity, which Michael Sullivan told her was full of "men of faith."

Now she plans to have her company and her late husband's company join local Sigma Chi alumni in donating money to the Michael Gene Sullivan Scholarship Fund.

Sullivan, known to some as "Silky," the same nickname as his father, played football, baseball and track for Elder High School on Cincinnati's West Side for three years, starring as outside linebacker for the Elder football team that won the district championship.

But one of his mother's proudest accomplishments was his pledging the Sigma Chi fraternity, the same fraternity his father had joined.

"I can't even begin to tell you how much the boys at Sigma Chi have supported me through all this," Sullivan said.

"Every single one of these boys, when I talk with them, I see a piece of my son. I hear things my son would say."

Sullivan will be a member of the selection committee for the scholarship, and she wants to choose people who remind her of her son.

The fraternity plans to give six $500 scholarships next year.

To donate, send a check, made out to Sigma Chi, to:Michael Gene Sullivan Scholarship Fund, Attn: Ben Hines, 2617 University Court, Cincinnati, OH 45219

E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/200...ullivan17.html


----------------------------------------------------------------------

I will keep Ms. Sullivan in my thoughts and prayers, as well as her family and friends. The way her son's Sigma Chi brothers stepped up was just beautiful. I know that every GLO chapter out there would do the same thing. God bless Ms. Sullivan, her late son and husband, her family, friends, and Sigma Chi's.

Aww...it makes me sad that this woman is all alone now. Her husband is dead and so is her only son. :(

Yeah, I realize that the Sigma Chi's stepped up to the plate, etc., but well, she is still "alone" in her immediate family, you know?

How sad...this poor woman.

S
igEp has a red rose ceremony and I absolutely bawled when I saw it. :(

My heart goes out to that poor woman; I can't even begin to comprehend the level of grief she must be feeling.

The story made me feel good; though. I've always believed that there are more good people in GLOs out there than there are the stereotypical "frat boys".

I know when my father passed away three years ago, it meant so much to my mother and me the amount of support we got from my brothers. The undergrads sent flowers and I received calls and cards from tons of my brothers. Even the chapters on the campus I advise sent flowers. Some of the members even came to the funeral home. Greeks always come together in a time of need.

This is so true, and it's absolutely wonderful. I think it's especially great when the member who has passed is an undergrad because their family can see what a wonderful support system he/she had while away at school.

Wow!!
 

a wonderful example of how greek life should work. hats off to those who jumped in and did the right and the correct thing. now that poor mom at least knows she has some folks who loved her son.
:)

I hate to hear when these things happen and my prayers go out to the family and brothers. I am glad however to see that something good can come of this. I'm glad that the brothers are so very helpful to his mother and that they are starting a scholarship in his name.

Nichole

To The Intefraternal Brothers of SX!

What a beautiful thing to do for Your Brother and his Mother!

This is what Greek Life is always about.

I know, I and I am sure each of use die a little when we lose a Fellow Greek!:(

i am so sad to hear about this. what a great group of brothers he has!!!