ELMHURST – Nearly 30 years ago, a young athlete told the paramedic trying to save his life that he knew he wouldn’t make it, but he needed to know if his friends were all right. His life was ended abruptly but continues to serve the community, as his friends established a scholarship organization in his name.
That organization is the Brian E Wagner Scholarship Fund, and this year, for the first time, it granted four students in the community $2,500 scholarships, helping them realize their dreams of attending college. The organization has donated more than $70,000 in college tuition aid over the past 10 years.
“Brian was a leader,” said Pete Zamar, best friend of Brian and President of the Brian E. Wagner Scholarship Fund. “He had integrity and resilience, and he was somebody who would keep trying until the game was won. We were compelled to bring his story to light so teens now could be inspired to live like that too, and that’s what we look for in our recipients.”
The organization traditionally raises $2,500 at its annual Bags for Wags bean bag toss tournament fundraiser, but this year it raised $5,000, Zamar said. He said a private donor offered to matc that amount, bringing the total dollar value of this year’s scholarships to $10,000.
After carefully reviewing roughly 25 applications, Zamar said the board chose four students whom it believes honor Brian’s legacy and the way he lived his life. Those recipients are York High School students Maya Curry, Murphy McFarlane and Jim Hoffman, and Immaculate Conception College Prep student William Russ.
“We look for stories that echo that of a champion, [and] we see a level of vulnerability in the worlds of the students who really put their heart into making sure their lives make a difference in the lives of others,” Zamar said.
Zamar said the board doesn’t necessarily have a scorecard when it looks at applications, but that each of the four recipients had unique stories.
McFarlane stood out, Zamar said, for her tremendous ability to overcome a brain tumor and continue in her athleticism, demonstrating resilience. Curry highlighted leadership and selflessness by tutoring those less fortunate than herself without expecting anything in return, and Hoffman demonstrated a maturity beyond his years, leading the way by what’s inside, Zamar said.
The story of Russ stood out because, like Brian, Russ is an athlete who may not have been No. 1on the field but who is a moral leader for his teammates.
“Brian was a smaller kid, but he made things happen on the field, and [Russ] is kind of like that,” Zamar said. “He’s someone his teammates can rely on, and he’s an example.”
Zamar said the scholarship organization continues to help Brian’s friends reconnect with him even after his death and that it also serves as a reminder to young adults.
Brian was someone whom his friends believed would accomplish a lot in his life, but a drunk driving accident in which he was not the driver ended his life at age 16. Zamar said he hopes Brian’s legacy reminds teens to make the most of life but to also always try their best to make the right decisions.
“Life is about taking good chances, and these kids have to do their best to make every minute count,” Zamar said.
Written by Brian E. Wagner Scholarship Committee
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