Former University of Connecticut student and Sigma Chi Gamma Omega fraternity brother Ryan Rogers died on October 3 at the age of 23.
“Gamma Omega mourns the loss of Brother Ryan Rogers,” an Instagram post by Sigma Chi said Tuesday. “Ryan was an intellect and a kind-hearted individual. He possessed many values that perpetuate fidelity, courtesy, and affection within a relationship and he always found a way to bring the best out of someone.”
Rogers, of Avon, attended UConn for about a year and a half but has not been enrolled since spring 2018, according to UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz.
Class of 2019 graduate Alden Piper was roommates with Rogers his sophomore year in Chandler Hall in West Campus. He recalled fond memories of what he called his “best friend.”
“In the center of the quad sat a gazebo that no one really paid much attention to until Ryan started going there,” Piper said. “Slowly more and more people would come and enjoy Ryan’s company until it became a nightly activity to pay the gazebo a visit. Ryan made everyone feel comfortable; he told jokes, and expressed genuine interest in your well being. He was a transfer student, yet he made everyone feel right at home.”
According to his obituary, Rogers died unexpectedly. Rogers graduated from Avon High School in 2015 and was the captain of their football team.
A GoFundMe has been set up in Rogers’s memory. All donations will go to Shatterproof, a Norwalk, Connecticut-based nonprofit dedicated to helping those suffering from addiction. At the time of writing, total donations amount to $2,660, $660 above the $2,000 goal.
Rogers is survived by his parents, Bruce and Mary, a brother, Christopher and a sister, Meaghan.
“Ryan had a genuine soul that touched the hearts of everyone he encountered,” his obituary said. “He had an uncanny ability to connect with people from all walks of life and always prioritized the feelings of others before his own.”