In each life and demise, Jacob Herrit modified the tradition of the Gannon College neighborhood.
Herrit’s family and friends attest that he introduced pleasure and light-weight to each area he entered. In demise, he referred to as consideration to the significance of psychological well being and caring for each other.
Herrit handed away on March 14, 2021. Gannon has not been the identical since.
Since Herrit’s passing, psychological well being sources at Gannon have elevated, and the stigma surrounding psychological well being and reaching out for assist has decreased. Herrit’s demise was a catalyst for change on Gannon’s campus.
Herrit attended Knoch Excessive College, graduated in 2018 and went on to attend Gannon College.
AJ Karenbauer, a senior at Edinboro College, went to highschool at Knoch with Herrit.
“Jacob was an sincere, down-to-earth man who all the time had my again,” Karenbauer mentioned. “I might say a very powerful factor to Jacob was to make folks he cared about really feel appreciated. He’s somebody I may depend on for recommendation. Something I wanted, he could be there.”
Karenbauer has many fond reminiscences lifting weights and coaching with Herrit, which they did collectively fairly regularly.
“He would all the time complain about doing cardio, however I might make him,” Karenbauer mentioned. “One other good reminiscence I’ve is when he ran by means of a door and I used to be on his again as a result of I used to be making an attempt to cease him. That was two years in the past immediately, which is sort of bizarre to consider.”
Andrew Mullen, a senior at Washington and Jefferson Faculty, grew up with Herrit. He first met Herrit in fourth grade once they performed collectively on a journey basketball group.
“Jacob was simply the tallest and most athletic on the group, and I’m certain all the opposite gamers will attest to that,” Mullen mentioned. “The very first thing I observed about Jacob was his snicker. He had a really contagious snicker, and that was once we first began being mates.”
Mullen mentioned Herrit was a selfless and well-rounded individual, even from a younger age.
“He was all the time somebody I may discuss to and never have to fret about any judgment or criticism,” Mullen mentioned. “Jacob was an ideal good friend to me – we grew far by going to totally different schools, however that made getting along with him and the boys even higher.”
Mullen additionally has many fond reminiscences with Herrit, particularly on the highschool soccer subject and within the locker room. However their connection prolonged past faculty.
In February of 2021, Mullen tried to show Herrit the way to ski.
“Being Jake, he started to catch on quite shortly, and checked out it with nice optimism.”
Javier Valeiras, a advertising MBA scholar, was Herrit’s roommate at one level however ended up turning into shut mates.
“He was the final individual I talked to earlier than mattress and the primary after I awoke,” Valeiras mentioned. “The primary time I met Jacob was when he entered the room as soon as I had already arrived from Spain to begin the varsity yr. I used to be so completely satisfied that we had been comparatively two individuals who coincided in lots of issues and tasks. We turned excellent mates in a really brief time.”
Valeiras has many reminiscences with Herrit, however one of the crucial particular is one in every of his birthdays that he spent with Herrit at his dwelling in Butler.
“He had a basketball hoop and we may play together with his brother too,” Valeiras mentioned. “I met all his mates from highschool and across the space, and we did so many issues that weekend that I bear in mind it as one in every of my greatest birthdays.”
Herrit liked understanding and exercising, and he was an impressive athlete. He acquired a scholarship to West Level, together with a Nationwide Military ROTC scholarship, however he finally selected Gannon. Herrit liked his nation and served it by means of ROTC. He deliberate on serving within the navy after school and wished to retire as a policeman. Herrit even acquired a Quotation Award from the Ocean Metropolis Police Division for his excellent service alongside them two summers in the past.
Herrit was additionally extraordinarily aggressive.
“I believe he seemed as much as individuals who wished to succeed and higher themselves,” Mullen mentioned.
Latin American and Spanish music and cultures had been additionally of nice curiosity to Herrit.
“He was a boy who wished to see and know the world, and Spain was one in every of his subsequent locations to go to,” Valeiras mentioned.
Herrit was excellent on the baseball and soccer fields as effectively. His mates and teammates say he was the sort of teammate who led his friends each on and off the sector. He was a good friend to all, and he liked and served others with every thing he had. He led with each phrases and actions and was a person of integrity.
“Jacob influenced me in lots of issues in life, particularly my mindset for a lot of issues isn’t the identical because it was two years in the past due to him,” Valeiras mentioned. “He helped me quite a bit with my sports activities mentality on the one hand, and on the opposite he made me a greater individual.”
Herrit impacted Karenbauer on this means as effectively.
“Jacob influenced me primarily to only attempt and be a greater man,” Karenbauer mentioned.
Karenbauer additionally seemed as much as Herrit as an athlete.
“After I first met Jacob, I used to be so completely satisfied as a result of he was one of many nice athletes once we had been younger,” Karenbauer mentioned. “He was all the time means greater than everybody else at that age, so I seemed as much as him in that regard as a result of he simply appeared like an older child. I used to be stunned at how good he was to me as a result of normally once you consider a handsome child that’s actually good at sports activities at that age, you’d assume they’d be cocky, however he would exit of his solution to make dialog with me, which made me really feel vital that this child I idolized on the time would do this for me.”
Max Zimmerman, a senior train science main, met Herrit their freshman yr, once they each performed baseball at Gannon.
“He was all the time one of many extra enjoyable guys on the group, and was all the time on the lookout for one thing to do,” Zimmerman mentioned. “Jake positively prioritized health and consuming. He was an athlete and you could possibly inform by him.”
Herrit and Zimmerman bonded over their mutual appreciation for social actions. Zimmerman mentioned Herrit liked to attach with different folks.
“Jake was memorable as a result of he was all the time a smiling face and left an ideal impression on folks,” Zimmerman mentioned. “I don’t bear in mind a single dialog with Jake the place we weren’t laughing about one thing. Jake was an admirable man – an ideal good friend and teammate.”
The most effective reminiscences Zimmerman had with Herrit occurred the summer time earlier than their junior yr.
“We took a speaker exterior, cooked burger and had just a few beers and invited a bunch of mates over and simply loved the proper summer time day,” Zimmerman mentioned. “I’m so blessed to have that reminiscence and others to look again on from the brief time I knew Jake.”
One of the vital issues to Herrit was his youthful brother, Luke Herrit. He led and mentored him like a teammate, Valeiras mentioned.
“The one that primarily influenced Jacob was his brother Luke, who immediately I like him as my very own brother,” Valeiras mentioned. “He all the time cared for him, advising him on the subsequent steps he ought to absorb his youth, in order to not lead him down the improper path.”
Herrit was very shut together with his dad and mom as effectively.
“I do not forget that Jacob all the time referred to as his father after every sport,” Valeiras mentioned. “His father is an excellent individual, and he all the time helped Jake in no matter means he may and wanted. His mom is one other angel who all the time wished the most effective for his son.”
Above all, Herrit’s mates, household and acquaintances say he confirmed kindness and compassion to each individual he met. He introduced pleasure to each scenario, and he lit up each area he entered. He was deeply captivated with life, which overflowed into his relationships with the folks round him.
“Jacob was very particular to me as a result of he was an individual that, once you started to get to know him higher, you already wished to have him by your aspect for all times,” Valeiras mentioned. “He was a kind of few mates who may share something about your private life, and he was all the time accessible to advise or assist me.”
Herrit was all the time keen to assist others, even at his personal expense, Valeiras mentioned.
“Jacob was one of the crucial well mannered, sort and enjoyable folks I’ve ever met,” Valeiras mentioned. “He was an individual who couldn’t say no to anybody; he all the time wished to assist those that wanted him even when he didn’t have time to take action. I by no means met anybody who didn’t liken Jacob.”
Mullen skilled this kindness from Herrit additionally.
“I knew that he had battled adversity all through his life and he nonetheless managed to deal with me and anybody else in addition to they’d need to be handled,” Mullen mentioned. “Many occasions I’ve skilled Jacob’s selfless acts, and I’m so completely satisfied to have the ability to say that. I miss Jacob a lot and I take into consideration him fairly often. My prayers are together with his family and friends. Miss you brother.”
Herrit leaves behind a legacy of affection, kindness, dedication and advocacy. The Gannon neighborhood isn’t the identical with out him, and we’re without end modified due to him. He will probably be without end liked and missed by his mates, household and friends who keep on his legacy and bear in mind him fondly.
“I pray that due to this horrible occasion folks may be extra open in sharing their struggles,” Zimmerman mentioned. “Prioritize dialogue with mates about psychological well being and emotions. Irrespective of who you’re, you matter. It’s no lie once they say the world is healthier with you in it. It’s.”
ANNA MALESIEWSKI