The members of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity will hold a memorial service at their fraternity house tomorrow to honor the life of Brian David Garczewski, an economics junior who died of heart failure over the summer.
Garczewski, who was described by friends as someone who loved life and wanted everyone to have fun, died the morning of May 12 after spending over two weeks in the hospital and enduring open-heart surgery.
He was 20 years old.
Jordan Weiner, psychology sophomore and member of Delta Tau Delta, said the fraternity wanted to wait to hold the memorial until school had started and everyone was back and settled in.
Weiner said Garczewski, treasurer of Delta Tau Delta, had always been healthy before he went into the hospital and described the heart failure as "a fluke."
Weiner said Garczewski was a big part of the fraternity and played an important role as treasurer.
"The house always came first for him," Weiner said. "If someone was having a bad day, he'd always find a way to make you smile. He was a big jokester."
Weiner said several members of the fraternity visited Garczewski while he was sick.
"He's really big, really muscular, and he never showed any weakness, but everyone knew he was in pain," Weiner said.
Weiner said Garczewski was his best friend, and it is still hard to talk about his death.
Garczewski's parents and younger brother live in San Diego and will not be attending the ceremony.
Garczewski was very close to his 17-year-old brother Andrew, Weiner said.
"I've never seen anyone who cared so much about his family. He always looked out for Andy," Weiner said.
Weiner said a few members of the house are still in close contact with Garczewski's family.
This is the second time in just a couple of years that there has been a death within the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
In June 2003, Sam Farmer, an undeclared sophomore, died after a porch collapsed on him in Chicago.
Partygoers were gathered on the porch where the keg was when the balcony three stories above them collapsed, crushing those underneath. The accident killed 11 others and injured more than 57.
Weiner said that the two losses have been hard on the members of the fraternity.
"It's definitely brought this house a lot closer together," he said.
At the memorial, members will express their personal feelings about Garczewski and his death, Weiner said.
The memorial will be at 7 p.m. at the Delta Tau Delta house, 1050 N. Cherry Ave. Everyone in the UA community is invited to attend in remembrance of Garczewski.