An outdoor mass was held Tuesday evening at Notre Dame Stadium to remember the two 19-year-old students who were hit by a van and killed over the weekend.
Valeria Espinel of Ecuador and Olivia Lara Rojas of Bolivia died early Saturday morning. They were members of Notre Dame's Class of 2024.
Both young women were from South America. Some liturgical readings, hymns and other portions of the service were in Spanish and University President Fr. John Jenkins presided over the mass. He welcomed the family members of the victims who were present for the tribute to the fallen students.
Fr. Jenkins reflected that the young women were "with us for too short of a time." He said they embraced Notre Dame and made it their home.
Portions of writings that both women created while at Notre Dame were read as part of the service.
Erin Hoffmann Harding, Notre Dame's VP for Student Affairs, spoke before the mass started telling those assembled that "God is holding them (Valeria and Olivia) gently...and yet we grieve."
Jenkins also offered prayers for the recovery of 19-year-old Eduardo Jose Elias Calderon of the Dominican Republic. The ND sophomore was also hit by the van but survived. No updates on his condition have been provided since late Saturday when he was listed in critical condition.
Duirng the mass, a story was shared about how the two girls met over Zoom. The ND Latin American Class of 2024 gathered on the online platform prior to the start of classes to start making relationships. On the evening of their death they had gathered to celebrate their seven months of friendship. They were described as living "life at full throttle."
