Dear OU Family,
This weekend we lost three of our own. Beloved meteorology students, Drake Brooks, Nicholas Nair, and Gavin Short, passed away late Friday night in a fatal car crash. This terrible news hits hardest, of course, for those who knew Drake, Nic, and Gavin the best – their families, friends, faculty, staff, and others important in their lives. Since their untimely deaths, there has been a tremendous outpouring of love and affection for each of them, not only at OU, but beyond. We recognize how difficult this is to bear for their peers and community within the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, especially the School of Meteorology. I know that we as a university will come together in our sorrow and strength to support those most impacted by this terrible tragedy.
For all of us, this sad event brings the fragility of our lives to the fore. The gift we have each day to love others in service and kindness is at the core of our humanity. Drake, Nic, and Gavin were united in a shared passion. As we grieve this immeasurable and profound loss, we also remember the root of their chosen calling, which was to help others. Their pursuit of that calling is admirable and serves as an inspiration to us all. There are few words and little comfort we can offer their families and loved ones in a time of deep sadness like this. But what we can do is honor them and commit ourselves to the principles they lived each day. We are immensely grateful for their lives and the impact each of them had.
As always, university counseling services are available to any in need. The links below provide information for these resources on each of our campuses.
University Counseling Center – Norman
Student Counseling Services – Health Sciences Center
Student Counseling Services – Tulsa
Please join me in offering thoughts and prayers of peace and comfort for the families and friends of Drake, Nic, and Gavin.
With great sadness,
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
President
