Other alumna returns home
By Andy Matarrese
Friends and family of 2009 UP alumna Molly Hightower are struggling to deal with the news of her death in Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti.
Rescue crews recovered her body early Friday morning from the wreckage of the building where she worked as a volunteer for Friends of the Orphans, according to a statement from the organization.
"I'm in complete shock about what's going on," said fellow 2009 graduate and current master's student Allison Able, who is helping to organize an on-campus Mass to celebrate Hightower's life.
Hightower, 22, was in Haiti assisting in a physical therapy program helping children with disabilities.
Molly chronicled her experiences in her blog working with the children. She wrote she was sad to be away from her family during Christmas for the first time, but was happy to spend time with the kids.
"There was tons of food, and gifts for all the kids and staff," she wrote. "Everyone was enormously excited to receive their presents! Yvonne showed all 75 people her new purse and necklace, and Kenzie would not stop racing his toy car around the crowded room!"
Hightower graduated with a degree in psychology, sociology and French and had been in Haiti since June.
"Molly was a very caring person who always had a smile on her face," Able said. "She was pretty special for giving up a year after graduation to spend time in Haiti," she said, adding Molly gave the disabled Haitian children as much love as she could.
Hightower's sister, Jordan Hightower, paid tribute to Molly on Twitter shortly after receiving news of her death.
"Live in Molly's example - with selfless compassion and a joyful spirit," she said in a Twitter posting. "And lean on the Lord because he is the eternal comforter."
In an e-mail sent out to UP community members, University President Fr. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., expressed sympathy for Molly's family and friends.
"Please keep them and the people in the midst of this crisis in Haiti in your thoughts and prayers," he said.
A Mass to celebrate Hightower's life will be held Saturday at noon in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher followed by a reception in St. Mary's Student Center.
Rachel Prusynski, another 2009 UP alumna and close friend was visiting Hightower when the quake struck.
Rachel, 2009's valedictorian, told Boise's KIVI-TV that she plans "to live her whole life trying to deserve being the one who made it out."
According to her father, Mark Prusynski, she has a broken arm and some cuts, including one extending from above her hairline down to one of her eyes. Mark said he was unsure as to whether Rachel would need reconstructive surgery to prevent heavy scarring.
"They were still getting blood out of her hair last night," he said. Rachel told him she was bleeding so much that, as she was being driven away from the collapsed building, the sight of her made a Haitian child faint.
After rescuers pulled Rachel from the rubble, she was taken to the U.S. Embassy. Later, a Coast Guard helicopter moved her to better medical facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After one night there, she then moved to a hospital in Miami, her father said.
Mark said he and his family didn't even know there was an earthquake until the embassy called and to tell them Rachel was OK.
"That's the good way to hear bad news," he said.
He said Rachel and her mother, Linda Prusynski, spent the night with family friends in Florida, and got a flight back home to Boise Friday.
"We haven't had much sleep in the past few nights," he said. "Can't hug her hard enough."
- Lauren Seynhaeve contributed to this story.
- The Beacon invites friends of Molly Hightower to share their memories and photos in the discussion topics on The Beacon's Web site or at our Facebook page.
