Syracuse University junior Matt Wanetik died Friday morning at the home of his host family in Strasbourg, France, according to an e-mail sent Friday afternoon by Thomas Wolfe, interim senior vice president and dean of student affairs.

Wanetik, an international relations and political science major and member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, was studying in France through the SU Abroad Strasbourg Center.

An official cause of death has not been released, but French police have ruled out foul play, said Kevin Morrow, SU’s spokesman.

Brad Orban, president of Alpha Epsilon Pi and a senior history and political science major, was alerted of the news Friday around 10:30 a.m. The fraternity house held a meeting soon after with employees of the Office of Student Life sharing what they knew about the death, Orban said.

“We’re not sure how events transpired,” he said. “All we know is that somehow, in some order, Matt fell. He was pronounced dead at the scene. There was no struggle.”

Brothers then went door-to-door to campus fraternities and sororities, asking fellow Greeks to attend a memorial service Friday afternoon in Hendricks Chapel.

“We have reached out to the Greek community and gotten a lot of great Greek support,” said Matt Abdifar, a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi and president of the Interfraternity Council.

In addition to Friday’s memorial, the fraternity has a candle burning continuously in the house, and members have black Xs taped over their hearts, as Wanetik’s nickname was “X.”

“He was a very honest person, and he exuded a lot of faith in the fraternity,” Orban said. “He was humble. He was mutually helpful to everyone, always. He was someone who always persevered through anything. Those five words are Matt Wanetik.”

Orban and Wanetik attended a Radiohead concert over the summer in New Jersey, the last time they would see each other before Wanetik headed to Strasbourg in August.

Abdifar lived in the room next to Wanetik last year in the fraternity house.

“He was a very giving person, really genuine, one of those people who would do anything for you as soon as you asked,” Abdifar said. “He was always there for you.”

Wanetik’s father and uncle were notified Friday and are currently in Strasbourg along with Chancellor Nancy Cantor, who was already in the city for an education conference. She was notified of Wanetik’s death on Friday by SU Abroad Executive Director Jon Booth, said Kevin Quinn, SU’s vice president for public affairs.

Cantor and Quinn spent time that day at the Strasbourg center with students who had gathered to talk about Wanetik’s life and how they were coping with the loss, Quinn said.

SU is planning a memorial service, but no date has been set. Alpha Epsilon Pi held small gatherings at the house over the weekend and wrote letters to Wanetik’s family in Philadelphia.

“The best thing about him was his smile, his laugh,” Abdifar said. “I don’t think you can put it into words. He brought something different than everyone else. He was definitely a huge part of our lives.”

 

Published on October 5, 2008 at 12:00 pm