The university community shared memories Thursday afternoon of Demitri Allison, a wide receiver on the Elon Phoenix football team, and began the healing process that follows the sudden loss of a loved one.
Hundreds of members of the Elon community joined in prayer and reflection Thursday evening to honor an Elon University student-athlete who died a day earlier on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill.
A “Gathering of Friends” at midfield of Rhodes Stadium offered the community an opportunity to collectively mourn the death of Demitri Allison, a junior management major and a wide receiver on the Elon Phoenix football team.
Elon Chaplain Jan Fuller led a ceremony that featured just as many laughs as tears as Allison’s teammates and friends remembered his love for the Madden football video game, his commitment to others over himself, and even the way he “walked everywhere” on campus, not wanting to ask for rides.
Allison was the son of Mark and Lisa Hartman of Cornelius, N.C. Both his parents were in attendance and offered their own remarks to a crowd that included classmates, teammates, coaches, athletics staff, professors, staff members, alumni and friends of the Elon Phoenix football program.
The football team itself walked hand-in-hand from Alumni Field House to the middle of the field before taking a seat at the front of the crowd.
“We’re here to do a really hard thing,” Fuller said in her welcome. “We’re here to remember and face the loss that we have experienced as a community.”
The Nov. 12 vigil was meant to help students not only express grief, Fuller said, but also to remember Allison for who he was as a man and not for how he died in a fall from a UNC residence hall.
Those who shared their memories – Allison’s parents, coaches, classmates, teammates – did just that, painting the picture of a loyal friend and a student-athlete dedicated to team excellence.
Elon’s counseling staff and the chaplain’s staff are available to help students begin the grieving process. Anyone who would like to talk about their feelings of loss or concern for others may contact Counseling Services at 278-7280 or the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life at 278-7729.
Counselors are available after hours on call by contacting Campus Safety and Police at 278-5555. The Student Life administrator-on-call may also be reached at 278-5555 at any time.
“There’s a lot of love here,” Fuller said in remarks shortly before a team prayer ended the vigil. “This is a loving community, and we’re going to do this together.”