Chris Higgins, A Student Whose 'Generosity Was Legendary,' Dies at 23

This time, they never got the chance.

But Chris's presence is still felt.

"I know he's still with us a little bit," she said. "He was a guiding influence in my life. He inspired me to be myself. Be whatever I want to be. Just kind of to embrace what you have, where you are, just to take control of your life. Just to be happy."

Indeed, just about everyone that was close to Chris learned a similar lesson from `Higgo.'

"Chris kind of led me to be more confident in my own interests, my own beliefs, my own convictions. He was never really a guy to follow the crowd," Calle said.

Added Kahoe: "Chris changed my outlook on life in general, as a whole. There is a phrase my coach used to use a lot. My coach [Dave Urick] used to say, `Everyday is a holiday, every meal is a banquet.' That is how [Chris] wanted to live life. He lived life to the fullest. Nothing else can compare to the experiences he had and the fun he had in life."

Mostly everyone interviewed agreed: Chris lived more in his 23 years than many do in a lifetime.

Davies expressed hope that Chris' passing will teach those that miss him to celebrate his life but also to make the most of their own.

"Chris celebrated every day - and that's the message we want to give to all of those who are grieving right now," she said. "To celebrate Chris's life, we need to celebrate every day of our own lives and be thankful to have know him and to have been so positively impacted him. He was love and happiness to us all."