During the 11 years since the Cornell University men's lacrosse season of 2004, George has been in the hearts and minds of his family and friends on a daily basis. The healing process resulting from the wrenching loss of him continues. The Big Red spirit that enveloped us all when we became part of the Cornell family, however, has lifted us up and kept us moving forward.

Many young men have their lives cut tragically short. Their families bear their loss and their friends help to console them. We keep these families in our hearts and prayers. We feel blessed that we have had the support of the Big Red family to console us. It has been remarkable to us how constant and ardent George's teammates, friends, and Cornell University have been in their commitment to keep the memory of George alive.

During a period of their lives when they have been starting careers and families, his teammates and friends have spent countless, precious hours raising funds for causes that George would have also been committed to. They established the Mario St. George Boiardi Foundation to raise and donate funds to charitable causes. Initially all of the proceeds from annual winter gatherings at the 21 Dinner in New York City went to support the newly formed Teach For America—South Dakota. The 21 Run over the Cornell University Plantations roads, where George loved to ride his long skateboard, follows each scheduled men's lacrosse season and lends support to the Family Reading Partnership of Ithaca. The 21 Run West has been held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. There have been charity golf tournaments in the Washington, DC, area. For the last three years, the Foundation has organized the Capitol Lacrosse Invitational “fall ball” lacrosse tournament for Division One teams at the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland, where George was a student from third grade through high school. Currently the proceeds from all these activities support the mission of the Mario St. George Boiardi Foundation: “to empower youth through academics and athletics.”

Perhaps most dear to George of all these activities might be the culmination of a dream he shared with David Coors: to play with their teammates in the Vail Lacrosse Shootout summer tournament. David, his family, friends, and Cornell teammates made this dream come true by playing as Team 21 for years and winning the tournament on July 6, 2008.

Cornell University posthumously granted George his degree and established an award in his name for athletes in the Senior Class. The “Wall of Records” in the Friedman Strength and Conditioning Center, where he sweated with his teammates, was named in his honor. The University Athletic Department placed a commemorative plaque, dedicated by his teammates, outside the men's lacrosse locker room at Schoellkopf Field, next to plaques memorializing #10 Eamon McEneaney ’77 and #42 Jay Gallagher. Last fall the Athletic Department placed his name in the Athletic Hall of Fame. His locker remains his and his photograph is in the locker room next to one of Eamon. The men's lacrosse team continues to refer to Schoellkopf Field as “George's House” and they continue to organize and participate in the 21 Run.

George would be humbled by these tributes and they continue to amaze us, but in the context of the Big Red family they are not surprising. When we attended the team dinner in the fall of 2003, we listened to Coach Tambroni introduce the freshmen and their parents. Deborah remembers thinking that “they don't know what a great experience they will have as part of this family.” It wasn't just the players and coaches, but the parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who were part of the Big Red family.

The five-hour drive from Washington, DC, through the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania was never a bother. We looked forward to the end of the trip when we would gather with the Big Red family outside Schoellkopf Field or in the Hall of Fame Room where we waited with great excitement to watch the game and then to see our sons and their teammates. The welcome we received was always warm and genuine. Everyone shared the Big Red spirit. The games were intense, but the gatherings afterwards were joyous. We did have fun!

Lesson:

Whether in athletics or life, it's not all about winning, but everything about the opportunity to PLAY THE GAME.