A Heartfelt Thank You

To the Skidmore community:

I want to thank every one of you who stepped up to be helpful after the terrible tragedy that resulted in the death of Michael Hedges and serious injuries to Toby Freeman, and Oban Galbraith. I am relieved to report to you that both Toby and Oban are healing very well and expected to make a full recovery.

To lose such a promising young man as Michael, and to see his friends so hurt, would have been incomprehensible just one short week ago. And yet, by coming together as a community, we have somehow managed to comprehend this cruel reality and to find the strength to do what needs to be done.

Over the course of the last several days, we have witnessed the true character of our community—its compassion, its strength, and its generosity. This was particularly apparent on Monday when more than 1,500 students, faculty, staff, family, and friends packed the gathering at the Arthur Zankel Music Center and the candlelight vigil that followed. Together, we grieved and honored Michael and supported Oban, and Toby and the friends and families of the three young men. It was also apparent at the beautiful funeral for Michael that I attended in Lenox yesterday in the company of a large Skidmore delegation. I know our presence was a source of comfort to the Hedges family.

This was true for the Campus Safety officers and first responders who rushed to the scene, as well as the other students who provided aid. It was true for all the health care workers who helped save the lives of Toby and Oban and our own health services staff who consulted with the families. And for all the Student Affairs employees who continue to reach out to students across the campus. And for the events staff and dining crews who planned such beautiful ceremonies and fed a large, unexpected number of students and visitors over the past few days.

It was apparent among the religious and counseling staffs who worked long hours opening their doors and hearts to provide comfort and even arranged for nearly 40 therapy dogs to visit campus and bring smiles to 500 students.

It was true of the faculty and Dean’s offices that reached out to and accommodated students who were affected by such a traumatic event in their young lives. It was true of the students who spoke so eloquently and provided such beautiful music at the gathering, including an original piano piece. And the communicators who worked around the clock to get the word out, respond to the media, and write and post such meaningful stories and photographs. And the hundreds of Skidmore and Saratoga community members who signed the huge cards and wrote notes for Toby and Oban and for Michael’s family.

It was true of the concerned parents and faithful Skidmore alumni who shared condolences and offered their heartfelt support. And of the many, many others who cared and gave so much to make this senseless tragedy more bearable.

Your good work goes on all across our campus. First-Year Experience (FYE) peer mentors and faculty members are continuing to meet with students. Many of you are working together to coordinate a complex calendar of multiple comfort and healing events. These activities are open to our entire community and will continue over the next few weeks.

As I said in my remarks at Zankel, “We come together to share our sorrow but also to do what genuine communities do: to care for and support one another in our difficult hour. A community built on care and respect does that. We care for one another. This caring means that, first of all, we simply are there for one another; we are present."

Thank you for your gracious presence and for the way you care for our community.

Philip A. Glotzbach
President