On the 13th of November in 2022, a crime was committed in Moscow, Idaho, which changed the course of history for many people. Four Idaho University students named Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin lived in an off-campus residence when they were tragically robbed of their lives. The goal of this article is to pay tribute to their lives and contemplate the world they made, the impact they had on their friends and communities as well as the loss which their families and friends had to endure.
Kaylee Goncalves
Kaylee Goncalves, a 21-year-old from Rathdrum Idaho, was such a lovely girl. As a senior studying general studies with the prospect of joining the healthcare sector, she was known for her wide encompassing smile and welcoming persona. Her loss created a void within her close family and friends as they regarded her as a soft-hearted person with lots of life to live. When she was about to die, she was last seen with her close friends which was rather typical of her as she was an outgoing person. Although she had quit the shared house, she had come back for a celebration with the crew. On the issue of Kaylee’s death, her father Steve Goncalves could not hide his disillusionment of loosing his daughter under such circumstances, he went on to explain how Kaylee and Madison, her best friend, died side-by-side, in the same chamber, further explaining their close relation.
Madison Mogen
Madison Mogen, aged 21, also hails from Coeur d’Alene, and she was a close friend of Kaylee, starting from grade six. The two of them had numerous adventures together and were both high-flying dreamers. Madison was an active and lively person in all aspects – she wanted to get a degree in marketing and then tour the world after completing her studies. Madison’s relatives always described her as a cute little doll who spread smiles across the faces of all the people she came in contact with for the first time. Her mother added that she was a potential leader and a helpful being who always wanted to encourage and inspire people. Madison’s void, for her loved ones, has been an unforgettable pain, especially in biology, where she was an outsider, who wasn’t only growing but also loving the people around her.
Xana Kernodle
Xana Kernodle, a 20-year-old girl from Avondale in Arizona, was a junior at the University of Idaho, where she majored in marketing and worked at a restaurant together with her friend Mogen. It is evident, however, that wiser views the day – as mentioned above – with greater zeal and fierceness. Time and again, friends spoke of her loyalty, and when she loved someone, she was always available for them. The day the unfortunate events occurred, Xana was having friends over at her place. Ethan Chapin, her boyfriend, slept over that night. Everyone who met her would describe her as full of life, and paid attention to her studies. I wonder how much more they would say, considering all the impressions a person could leave behind. The daughter’s family laments her demise and grieves for all those opportunities she might have had to change society for the better.
Ethan Chapin
Ethan Chapin is a late first-year student from Conway, Washington. His family says that he had a good heart and was always in search of challenge. At the University of Idaho, Ethan pursued a course in recreation, sport and tourism management, and nurtured hopes of finding himself in a career in outdoor education or development of sports. According to Ethans family, he was the amazing person who comended admiration from everyone he related with. In addition, Ethan was one of three triplets and this gave him a special connection with his brothers and sisters that only few could appreciate. These case studies of siblings were discussed by his mother who talked about the passion for life of teenage boys or rather two boys and one girl. However, the violent death of their youngest son and wife’s twins has encouraged the family to look for new ways to remember him through benevolence.
The Community Response
The monstrous crime horrified everyone, including the larger society, and people stood in protest for these victims. People gave out statements of anger and frustration, donated money, and lit candles. All of which was a good display of nurturing relationships that these youngsters must have developed while at University. On top of memorials, people have started to talk about the safety of students in universities more and more. Well, people are more conscious now and are calling for enhanced safety measures in their society.
A Lasting Legacy
On one November night in the year 2022, four students, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin lost their lives. Even though they are lost, every friend or family member who knew them keeps their memories alive and remembers them with a smile on their face. It is such a heartbreaking case and it definitely requires in depth investigations but while that is on course, what must be remembered is the fact that more than being young lives that were lost, these individuals had a life that was absolutely beautiful on its own and impacted many in their short time on earth.
The world gets sadder and better at the same time because these souls don’t die, their legacy lives on further motivating the next generations to make a difference. They emphasize the importance of community support, love among friends and family and making the absolute most out of the time that you’re given with your loved ones. It is a tragedy of immense proportions and it needs justice and highlighting while guaranteeing that the future generations do not have to go through the pain that the current one is. Every student’s safety across the country should be a top priority and that is just the start because everything that is done and fought for in the future will always be for Kaylee, Madison, Xana and Ethan, they will never be forgotten.
