Friends honor fallen comrade

For IU seniors Katie Landis, Tina Ortinau and Pat Carmody, the culmination of their final year has been strangely lackluster. \nThough preoccupied with searching for jobs and bidding farewell to friends and the town that's been theirs for the last four years, each is acutely aware something is missing. \nEvery day -- whether strolling through campus, attending class or picking up that desired cap and gown in preparation for May commencement -- they're reminded of a loss each said persists and deepens despite the passage of time. \nNov. 11, just a few short months ago, the trio found themselves grappling with the unthinkable. Following a long battle with manic depression, their friend and fellow IU student Craig Doss took his own life. Yet despite their grief, Landis, Ortinau and Carmody clung to the stories and memories that personified what Doss meant to each and emerged committed to preserving his legacy, to ensuring that his "gentle heart" would never be forgotten. \nThe Craig Doss Memorial Scholarship was born shortly thereafter, with Landis, Ortinau and Carmody at the helm. The fund will host a major benefit at 8 p.m. tonight at Kilroy's Sports Bar to generate revenue for the scholarship, which will offer $1,000 per year for seniors at St. Louis University High School, Doss' alma mater, to attend IU. \n"We thought that a scholarship fund would continually allow students to live Craig's dream," Ortinau said. "He cherished the memories he had at SLUH and Indiana. Picking a student seeking to fulfill similar objectives and goals as Craig did enables us to see his dreams live on."\nLandis said she found Doss' selfless nature perhaps most inspiring and said she, Ortinau and Carmody have been brainstorming ideas for fundraisers since the semester kicked off. \n"I will always admire Craig for the way that he thought of everyone else before himself," Landis said. "This scholarship will allow him to help others, and in turn, the students will be able to live his dreams and aspirations." \nFor his part, Carmody chooses to seek solace in the positive -- and more often that not, humorous -- memories Craig's legacy affords and wants to incorporate those traits in the search for scholarship recipients. While a student at SLUH, Doss was a standout rugby and football player and also served in the National Honor Society.\n"Tina, Katie and I want to give the scholarship to a devoted athlete who also gets it done in the classroom," Carmody said. \nTonight's event will feature DJ Jumpin' James on the turntable, as well as drink specials and selected promotions. Landis said the bar's management has provided substantial public relations advice. \n"Sports has been extremely helpful," she said. "We receive all the money from the $3 cover charge on Monday, which is very generous."\nThe scholarship executive board also held a party in Craig's honor Saturday, which Doss' parents attended, along with more than 100 IU students and friends from the St. Louis area. That event raised $1,000 toward the fund's $20,000 goal. \n"Our benefit on Saturday showed the love and support Craig's friends and family have for him," Ortinau said. "I am very proud and honored to have been part in such an amazing memory. His presence will continue to be missed, but his memories will never be forgotten ... I will never forget the way Craig's smile could light up my day." \nCarmody said the executive board is sending letters to more than 60 supporters seeking donations. \n"We've already raised about $15,000, and we hope to triple that before we'll be satisfied," he said. \nThe board hopes tonight's event will do just that. \n"I think the main reason we decided to honor Craig in a social setting is because that's the type of person he was," Carmody said. "He was loud, funny and unreserved, and he just never went unnoticed."\n-- Contact senior writer Holly Johnson at hljohnso@indiana.edu.