The Amherst College community mourns the passing of Christopher Collins '20, of Wakefield, Rhode Island, who passed away on March 29, 2018 at the age of 20. A former student-athlete on the Amherst College baseball team, Chris' immense love for his family and friends will be felt forever.
Amherst College baseball wrote the following tribute to Chris:
Dear Chris,
We miss you. We miss seeing you in the halls and around campus and hearing your guitar; we miss all of the little things. But what we miss most is your big smile, your gentle heart, and the friendship that we shared. We are writing this letter to you as a way to celebrate the life you lived and its meaning to us. As we grieve as your friends, teammates, and classmates, we learn more about what you meant to so many people. On Friday, when we had the opportunity to spend time with your family, we learned from your grandfather how you fell in love with baseball and why you became a Yankees fan. We learned from your sisters that you were the most musical of all your family members. We learned from your uncles that you were always the first to welcome new members to the family, just as you were the best in welcoming new members to our team. None of this was a surprise to us because of the person you were. You were so gentle and kind in caring for others.
You taught us how to be courageous. When you confronted depression, you faced it with your best smile and by sharing with others the struggles that you faced. You managed to be a supportive friend while dealing with your own struggles. As your father mentioned, the depression that ultimately took your life wasn't who you truly were. The Chris with a big smile, who was playful, and had a big heart was who you were. You and your family's openness about depression helped us better learn about being strong in the face of adversity and accepting vulnerability in a world that too often attempts to mask it. We learned more from you than we could ever learn in a classroom or on a ballfield, and we will use these lessons to better our lives and the people who rely on us as friends. We honor your friendship, your fight against mental illness, and the wonderful life that you lived by making sure that the courage, the love, and the companionship you shared with us will live on in our lives.
At Amherst, you wore the number 21. This number was worn by Roberto Clemente, one of the greatest humanitarians in the history of the game. Clemente, like you, cared more about others than himself. You played the game like him too: with great joy and passion for the game. As one of our pitchers remembers, there is a gracefulness in the way you caught. As we all saw by your mammoth swings, you never held back from anything when you stepped on the field. And true to your spirit and the way you lived your life, you never held back in the love that you showed to others. Thank you for being such a great teammate and friend.
Sincerely,
The Amherst College Baseball Team
------
Chris had a passion for music, baseball, and learning. He loved his dogs, playing the guitar and piano, hiking, climbing trees, the beach, getting coffee, and spending time with his family and friends. He will be remembered for his bright smile and his warm, gentle nature. He was considerate, sincere, loving, and unselfish and gave completely of himself to others. He touched so many lives in a genuine and beautiful manner.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Christopher Collins Memorial Fund, set up to shine a light on mental illness. Chris courageously battled anxiety and depression for several years, and it is important to him and his loved ones that the societal stigma of the disease is washed away, the illness' prevalence in our communities is recognized, and we learn to identify and care for those who may be suffering. Please send donations to Christopher Collins Memorial Fund, PO Box 5237, Wakefield, RI 02880.
