In a tragic two-car crash on the evening of Saturday, May 1, the Cathedral family lost a member of the Class of 2022, junior Lendon Byram. Lendon was on his way to prom at Hamilton Heights High School, an experience for which he was very excited and looked about as happy as he had ever been, according to friends and family.

He passed away alongside his girlfriend, Hamilton Heights senior Kalen Hart. While Lendon was on his way to one of the most memorable nights a teen can have, God decided the time was right to take away our friend.

Principal Mrs. Julie Barthel notified the school of the sad news in an email on that Saturday night, and a memorial prayer service took place the next day on the Hill. Numerous members of the Junior Class, as well as many members of the other classes, joined faculty, friends and family members as the school and faith community gathered to pray and share memories. Individuals shared memories of Lendon’s warm and calm demeanor, his trademark smirk and wild hair, while also reminding everyone how treasured each and every one of the members in the Irish family is.

Counselors and other support groups continue to be available for any and every student who needs grief counseling and help in dealing with the loss of such a beloved member of our Irish family. As always, the counselors are only an email or call away if anyone needs help.

A Mass took place in Lendon’s honor on May 5 during the activity period, with the juniors gathering for their friend in the Welch Activity Center and the rest of the school and the school community watching and honoring his memory virtually via a livestream.

Everyone who knew Lendon likely has a different story or memory of him that makes them chuckle, and he truly was a talented, determined and witty individual with a bright future ahead of him. A member of the speech and debate team, Lendon had qualified for the national tournament, and he was also a member of the State championship wrestling team as a freshman. He was recently elected as a member of the National Honor Society and was known to be an excellent student.

Lendon was a passionate musician and artist, with a flair for creativity that he put to use not just on paper or with his guitar, but in all aspects of his life. And while being around Lendon, some might never have known his aptitude for speech and debate, or his artistic ability or musical skill, anyone close to him knew of his deep love for history and politics. Lendon was one of the most knowledgeable students you could meet, and he wouldn’t hesitate to engage anyone in a deep conversation on any world historical or political issue.

Many of us will miss goofing around with Lendon in drawing classes or getting in heated debates with him about random historical politics, and we know that we’ll never forget the lasting memory he’s imprinted on us.

For the Cathedral family, we can continue to pray for Lendon and his family and friends as well as the friends and family of his girlfriend. While Lendon may have been called home too soon for our liking, we can take heart in honoring his memory and knowing that he’s with the Father watching over us.