As vice president of Phi Kappa Psi, I have known Trent Fucich for the past two years as a friend, a pledge and a brother.

I can remember sitting on a bench in the Peace Quad for hours just having Trent pick my brain. He wanted to know as much as he could about anything to do with the fraternity. He was the kind of guy that simply wanted to lead, and all he wanted was the knowledge and opportunity to do so. I’ll never forget the day that I told him that he was going to be our fraternity’s social chair for the Spring 2006 semester. Trent had yet to be put into a true leadership role in the fraternity, so when I told him that he was going to be my guy, I honestly thought he was going to cry. He jumped up and down and just threw his arms around me and said, “Thank you Decker … You know I won’t let you down.” I knew he wouldn’t.

I have always seen Trent as a born leader and hard worker who just needed the chance to show his abilities. He had nothing but potential. Whether I was asking him to print out flyers or pick up T-shirts, he made the job happen. When the previously appointed social chair stepped down, only one name came to mind: “T-Money.” That’s what we called him. He was the only person that I knew who would do the job correctly and with the utmost enthusiasm. Whether it was in class, as a friend, at a party or gutting a house, Trent was excited and refused to settle for anything less than the best.

Have you ever known someone who can always put you in a good mood? Every contact began with a high five and a “What’s up, man?” He helped brighten up my day on several occasions just by refusing to let me leave without telling him what was wrong. I’ll never forget the day my grandmother passed away. Trent came up to me and just gave me a hug; the kind of hug that really says, “I’m here for you.” He cared about everyone. If you were upset, then you weren’t getting away without Trent finding out how he could help. With a heart the size of a basketball, Trent always tried to make everyone around him feel as comfortable and happy as possible.

The first line of our fraternity’s creed says, “I believe that Phi Kappa Psi is a brotherhood of honorable men, courteous and cultured who pledge throughout their lives to be generous, compassionate and loyal comrades.”

I believe that Trent Fucich is all that we call ourselves to be and more. We will never know why our loved ones are taken from us. Everything happens for a reason, and we will spend our lives trying to figure those reasons out. For now, my guess is that Trent has been taken to show us all what it means to be a friend, a brother and a son.

Matthew Simmons is a public relations senior and president of Phi Kappa Psi.