Students and members of the Moscow community gathered at the Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial to commemorate the lives of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalve, on the anniversary of the tragedy on King Road four years ago. The Vandal Remembrance Ceremony is part of the “Week of Remembrance and Kindness” held this past week, where community members were invited to participate in acts of kindness as well as remembrance.
The speakers at this event were Elise Vonbargen and Zanna Mille from Beta Phi, Sophia Haze from Alpha Phi, and Jonathan Wattles from Sigma Chi fraternity.
Elise Vonbargen spoke about Madison Mogen. While she had only met Madison once, Vonbargen shared how Madison had always been described being full of “life, love and kindness” and that just being in her presence made people want to be a better person.
“She lit up the world, like the sun itself, with her beautiful smile, her beautiful soul, and with a heart so big it could wrap its arms around everyone around her,” Vonbargen said.
The next speaker was Sophia Haze, who spoke for Jaden, Kaylee’s little sister in Alpha Phi about Kaylee Goncalve. She spoke about Kaylee’s magnetic personality and how she got along with everyone she met. Haze continued by speaking about how when sharing the students names and stories they will live on.
“That’s how they’re remembered, not by what happened to them, but by who they were,” Haze said.
Following Haze, Zanna Miller took the podium to speak about Xana Kernodle. Prior to this, she also gave a speech at the one-year candlelight vigil memorial. Miller spoke about Xana’s joyful and loving personality. She also spoke about her experience with grief and her realization of how it is a blessing to experience so much heartbreak since it shows how much you loved someone.
“So let us laugh and talk about all of the special moments that were spent with Zana, Ethan, Maddie, and Kaylee,” Miller said, “let us honor their true embodiment of friendship, let us hug our loved ones extra tight and be exceptionally kind to everyone, because Zana would have.”
The last student speaker was Jonathan Wattles, who spoke about Ethan Chapin. Wattles shared stories about Ethan’s joy, smile, and kindness.
“Ethan not only represents everything Sigma Chi would like to represent, but everything the current and past members of Sigma Chi have strived for,” Wattles said.
Associated Students of the University of Idaho Vice President, Alma Azócar Agurto was the opening speaker and one of the many people who helped organize the memorial. Azócar Agurto said that the goal when creating this event was to allow people to see the lives of the four students and appreciate them.
“I think in the past this day has been very felt by the Greek community, and it’s beautiful to see their unity,” Azócar Agurto said, “but we also wanted to remind our campus…they were all students, and that we all share that connection as well.”
Agurto understands that despite the negative impact that the murders had on the student body, it also highlighted the community’s resilience and helped strengthen the vandal family.
“I think it’s important for us to remember and to not let this be taken from us, but to add something to it,” Azócar Agurto said.