In Memory of Caroline Griffin

by Hannah Bates, for The Buzz

A plaque signed 'The Griffin Family' sits beside the bench dedicated to Caroline Griffin. It reads: Caroline Griffin received a heart transplant when she was three months old and in spite of life-long health issues, she lived life with boundless energy. Caroline loved her days at SAU, where she spent her time golfing, dancing, and enjoying life to the fullest with her friends. She lived with a sense of humor and positive outlook. One of her last quotes: 'No one will ever know how much I love my Ambrose friends!' Her life was a gift to us all. Please give the gift of life. Be an organ donor.

The friends and family of the late Caroline Griffin are honoring her memory across the campus.

Last year, SAU junior Caroline Griffin passed away. On August 22, a memorial bench and a plaque outside Christ The King chapel were dedicated in her honor.

Caroline's cousin Colleen, one of many SAU alumni in the Griffin family, led the effort to find a way to honor Caroline at St. Ambrose, Father Chuck Adam said.

"They really have a strong love of St. Ambrose, their whole family does," Fr. Adam said.

A group of five of Caroline's close friends live in the CARE House, a themed house near campus. They collaborated with Colleen to make the bench and plaque a reality.

"All of us have become very close with Caroline over the past few years and helped her with some of the decision making that needed to be done regarding the bench and the plaque next to it," Katie Morrissey, one of the students living in the CARE House, said.

Before the bench dedication, a mass that began with her favorite hymn, "All Are Welcome" was celebrated by those who knew and loved Caroline. Family, friends, her golf teammates and faculty then headed outside where Fr. Adam dedicated the bench.

"The family said they wanted to do a celebration of life continuing," Fr. Adam said, "And I think that's what this was."

At the dedication, Caroline's uncle, Greg Griffin, represented a group called the Mulliganeers. They are a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that helps families of children in need, according to their website. The organization, which helped Caroline and her family throughout her life, awarded Alison Siebel, a member of the SAU golf team, a $1000 scholarship in Caroline's memory.

After the ceremony, everyone was invited to the CARE House for lunch. The CARE House is committed to raising awareness of organ donation in memory of Caroline, who was an organ donor as well as a recipient of a heart transplant as a baby. Two other parts of their mission include fundraising for the Mulliganeers and promoting a deeper appreciation of the gift of life, Morrissey said.

"Caroline had an infectious love for life, and often would remind us that every day is a great day to be alive," Morrissey said. "Especially when you are with the people you love."

This article first appeared in the Sept. 10, 2015 edition of the student newspaper The Buzz.