Collected thoughts and memories from the Denison community

Denison University’s Official Statement

We mourn the loss of David Hallman, Denison class of 2014, and we hold his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers.  A service for our Denison community to remember David is being planned.

We have only limited information about David’s last hours at this time. According to the Granville police, David was reported missing yesterday (Saturday) afternoon and Denison worked with local law enforcement to conduct a search. David was located Saturday night across the street from the Granville Golf Course where it appears he had fallen asleep and then succumbed to hypothermia.

Our campus is reaching out to each other to give and receive solace and support. We have several support resources in place, including daily counselor walk-in hours this week and support from the University Chaplain.

President Weinberg said, “David was a wonderful young man who was widely admired by our campus community. Right now our focus is on supporting our students. We are very proud of the way our students came together last night to support one another.”

Sarah Anderson

Dave was the love of my life.  He made me feel like I was the only girl in the world.  I could feel how much he loved me every time he looked at me.  He meant everything to me, and I will always love him.

Emily Schultz ‘16

David Hallman is one of the main reasons that I’m currently a student at Denison University, as we were both from the same hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania.  It is because of David that I was introduced to the Hill that I now call my home.  He was a brother, a son, a friend, a teammate, a classmate, and a role model to many.  Since David’s passing, I’ve been in close contact with many of our mutual friends both in Erie and at Denison.  The loss of David will be felt deeply in the hearts of his loved ones.  May God bless all who have been affected.

Hannah Swahn ‘16

David Hallman was an incredible friend, son, brother and man. I always viewed him as an old soul in a young body. He seemed wise beyond his years, but still maintained the goofy, light-heartedness of a young man. He was polite, courteous, respectful and incredibly friendly to everyone. From the first moment I met him, I knew that he was someone I could look up to.

He was my very first friend at Denison. He could make anyone laugh, and he would light up a room with just his smile. He could cheer me up in an instant if I was upset. We made a lot of memories in the astronomy class we shared. One of my favorite memories was sneaking onto the baseball field at midnight and drawing constellations for a lab assignment. It seemed ridiculous, and we were not particularly excited for it, but two hopped fences, a pair of ripped pants, a sprint across the street and a break-in onto the baseball field, we were ready (flashlights and pencils in hand) to draw our constellations. It was the craziest, most absurd thing to do, but we ended up having a blast. It took us several hours to complete the drawings, because we spent most of the time laughing and joking around. Our 4 a.m. study sessions in Higley were just as productive (or should I say un-productive).

I will cherish these moments and memories with him for the rest of my life. God works in mysterious ways, and I will never understand why He chose to call David home at such a young age. However, I know that he is in a better place, and that he is looking down upon us all with that infectious smile of his. David – you are loved and missed by all. Rest in peace, my friend. God bless.

Malkick Guisse ‘14

Death among many truths of life can happen to anyone at any time. David Hallman, like many of the senior class at Denison, wanted to graduate and move on with his life. However, death came to him at a young age. I personally did not know David, but his death is making me reflect about myself, and knowing that any of us could be in his place. David my prayers and respect go to you. To the Denison community, let us not forget David. Let us do something in honor of his name. R.I.P. dear David!

Stanisha Lang ‘15

Denison,

Do not forget what you witnessed last night. The memorial in Swasey was a true example of what can and should happen when we come together like the beautiful people we are. I also want to echo what some of my peers have been saying. Be there to comfort your professors as well. It was professors who found David Hallman’s body and they are just as much a part of the community as us.

Provide love in this time of grief.

David Allen ‘16

And there we were.

On Saturday night, at 11:30 at night.

We were packed into Swasey, all 1,000 of us. We were remembering, we were crying.

We were there.

We are a family.

A family who suffered the tragic, inescapable, inexplicable loss of a member of our family.

And those who couldn’t be there shared their hearts and prayers, and those who couldn’t be there shared our condolences and our tears.

We were there.

David Hallman, senior, passed away on Saturday, February 9th.

David Hallman, the friend, the companion, the confidant, was lost from this world.

And we were there; hugging, yelling, maniacally praying.

Within 15 minutes of the email regarding Hallman’s death nearly 400 people had shown up to Swasey.

Some in face paint, some in shorts, some stained from head to toe in tears.

Some battle-weary, some surreal, some upset, some bewildered.

And we were there.

To celebrate his life, to pay homage to his memory, to stare right down the belly of despair and claw ourselves out, while helping others in the process.

We were there!

And we will always be there! Whether it be our friend, our friend’s friend; they are, and always will be OUR family. And while his presence is taken, the memories of him will never be.

And so I urge of you, every single one of you, to make peace. With yourself, with your life, with your mind.

I also urge you to give hugs to random people on the street. Give big, sloppy, horribly inappropriate hugs and make sure that whomever you’re holding knows that you are happy, just for the sake that they are alive!

What a great thing it is to be alive and to be able to cherish Hallman for the man that he was!

We were there. We will always be there.

Through thick and thin, through snow or sleet, through scars and tears.

We are there.

Go Big Red, forever.