Thinking about you Pete!

This is something I put together about 2 months ago when I was missing my buddy. I felt this was as good a time as any to remind everyone of Pete's legacy . . .

Here we are, the summer of 2009 is upon us. For many this will be a time of celebrations . . . golfing with friends, barbeques, fireworks, and weddings. For our tight-knit group of Dayton graduates it will be a time of reflection. Memorial Day will mark the one year reminder of the day our friend, brother, and son disappeared into the depths of Norris Lake.

I remember it like it was yesterday, I was home visiting my parents, and me and the old man decided to play 18 holes with my best friend from home and his dad. I was in good company. We teed off at 9 o’clock and the typical chatter began on the golf course. I was playing well, and as we made the turn I was eager to grab a snack and keep the momentum going. As I went into the clubhouse I grabbed my phone and walked inside, my dad put in a quick order and I checked my phone to find 10 missed calls and 5 new voicemails. To have all these voicemails on a holiday and a Monday morning no less, was all very strange. As I began to work my way through the voicemails I could sense the despair in everyone’s voices, but no one would say anything more than, “call me”.

I started with Richie. He was at home in Indianapolis and broke the news to me . . . he explained that Pete had jumped off the back of a boat on Norris Lake and never came back up to the surface. Our friend and roommate Pete Gruber was gone.

Friends and family flocked to the Gruber’s home. People moved in and out over the next several weeks doing what they could to help Pete’s family understand this horrific tragedy. I am not sure that I fully grasped what had happened until the next day when I was flying home to Atlanta. It was still all too big to understand.

The aftermath didn’t clear things up for anyone. We proceeded with a wake at Pete’s old high school, a mass at his old grade school, and a Celebration of Pete’s Life in the community of Glendale where he grew up. All this happened while Pete’s body was still somewhere in Norris Lake. Thirty days after he went missing a sheriff who was on patrol found Pete Gruber. Pete’s family and friends proceeded by giving him a proper burial in Cincinnati.

For many this is where the story ends, but for our tight-knit group of Flyers, Pete’s memory and spirit continues to live on. This Memorial Day will mark one year that he has been gone. I feel compelled to remind everyone of the virtues Pete lived out in his day-to-day life as a Dayton Flyer and there after.

Our class mantra was to, Lead, Learn, and Serve. I can’t think of anyone who was a more fitting example of these three virtues. Pete was a natural leader, he brought people together. It wasn’t something he learned, it was just who he was. Pete was the glue that held everyone together, and that became even more evident after he left us. I can say without hesitation that I am friends with many of the people I know today because of Pete. He lived on my floor freshmen year, and people were drawn to him. He became the nucleus of our group and really most of the first floor. Pete led by example . . . for his younger brother and for his many friends. Pete also comes from a large family, and of his many cousins he was the eldest, and clearly the “leader”.

Pete’s learning didn’t stop the day that the University of Dayton issued him a diploma. At the time of his death he continued to learn and expand his professional knowledge. Pete was working for Cincinnati Financial and always seemed to be studying for a new designation. Not the most exciting material, but he understood the importance of continuing to grow. Pete was also an avid golfer, and believe me when I tell you he was always trying to learn how to improve his game.

The year after we graduated, Pete’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Pete didn’t really say too much to anyone about this, but he immediately took up the cause. Helping him mom through treatments and raising money for research by leading teams in the Breast Cancer Walks. It wasn’t until my last visit with Pete, that I discovered he was involved in another cause, The Joe Busam Foundation, which was set-up in honor of Pete’s deceased uncle. Pete never really said too much about it, but he knew the importance of giving back through service to the community, and continued to do so long after he walked off campus at the University of Dayton.

Pete continues to be an example to us all. His body is gone, but his spirit lives on through the Flyer Faithful. Our tight-knit group has become even closer. We continue to check in on one another as Pete always used to. We will continue to try and live up to Pete’s example of Leadership, Learning, and Service.

- Dan Rodenfels