“Christian lit up any room he entered, the same can easily be said for any single person’s life as well. I am forever changed since he came into mine, and I am eternally grateful for that. From making fun of my laugh to making ‘delicious’ Poptart treats in the chapter house, he knew how to brighten the darkest day. He will always have a spot on the couch of Garage, whether we can see him or not we know he will never turn down that opportunity. We love you Samay, rest well.” ~Paris Abbott ’24
“Anyone who met Christian, even briefly, knew immediately how big of a heart he had. He loved fiercely and intensely, and he is someone that no one could ever forget for the entirety of their lives. I feel extremely privileged to have gotten to know Christian this year, and the sadness I feel that I couldn’t have gotten to know him more is beyond words. The first conversation I had with Christian lasted an hour and a half, talking about our families, the people that we loved, and about our love for Bucknell’s community. In just an hour, I felt that I had known him for a lifetime – you do not find those people often, and the fact that I found him and got to know him is a blessing. Christian, it was an immense privilege to get to know you, and an unbelievable tragedy that your time on this Earth was cut so short. Rest in the utmost of love.” ~Kathryn Blount ’26
“Christian Samay possessed a rare gift for lifting the spirits of all who crossed his path. His constant joy, laughter, and profound empathy for others left an incredible mark on our community. It was a privilege to call Samay my friend and his memory will continue to inspire us in all aspects of life.” ~Jack Bruce ’25
“Samay was my pop and one of my best friends in the fraternity. He was a prominent figure and has been an extremely positive influence on me during my time there. Also the most loyal guy and someone you could go to about anything. One of my favorite things about him is that he would always say it as it is. Not a lot of people are willing to do that and it’s something I always admired. It takes courage, confidence, and strong opinions all of which were prominent in his character.
I spent a lot of time with Samay last semester and while I have many stories from my time with him, my favorite memories come from the random everyday activities we would do together. Whether it was walking to class together, eating a meal, driving around, bowling, or saying we were gonna go to the gym and then leaving to sauna after 20 minutes, these are the times I cherish the most in my memory of him. Even in these menial times that I would normally take for granted, his happiness, enthusiasm, and hilarious personality made them special. I will forever thank him for that.
He had an impact on everyone who knew him, and for those who were close to him, he made an impact that will be forever hard to live without. He was always so good to me and I only wish I could’ve spent these last couple months with him. (I’m studying abroad)” ~Mason Conto ’25
“Samay was genuinely the smilest person I’ve ever met. Although I wasn’t extremely close with him, he was always so kind to me in math class and every time I saw him on campus he would smile and wave from a far or stop to say hello. Such a positive and happy person and lit up every room he walked into! You will be seriously missed Samay!” ~Shea Coughlin ’25
“It is an understatement to say that Christian was one of a kind. The way he lived everyday with so much positivity and happiness was contagious and spread to everyone around him. He was a friend to all and so loved by all. His presence will forever be missed but will live in our hearts always.” ~Anna Fazio ’24
“When I think of Christian Samay it’s hard to think of one favorite memory because every minute with him was special. I can’t think of a single time I was ever with him when he wasn’t making everyone laugh and had a smile on his face. Even when he was mad about something he would say it in the most entertaining way possible and still had everyone laughing, even if it was at him. That was still fine with him as long as everyone was having a good time. The amount of screenshots on my phone of just funny things he’d say in a group chat that I wanted to save to look back on to make me laugh are endless. He loved everyone in his life so much and was so vocal about it, which is not always typical in a 22 year old frat boy. I feel so lucky to have known him but can’t help but relate to the phrase ‘you don’t know what u got until it’s gone’. We lost Samay far too soon. This is not how things were supposed to happen. He should be here with us and I wish I had more time with him. But feel so blessed to have known him at all.” ~Chloe Green ’24
“There’s something so special about people like Christian Samay. Something incredibly special about people who are so lovable that you completely forget that they have a first name to the point where calling them anything besides their nickname feels wrong. He was so keen on giving nicknames as well, they always made me so happy and it was one of the many things that showed how personable of a guy he was. I was never Ava to him. It was only aves, kite, AK or Kiteshow. To have been able to love Samay is a wholehearted emotion that I will forever treasure. One of the most important lessons Samay taught me is to always be so vocal about the people you love. Not a day went by where he wasn’t constantly reminding us of how much he loved us and how we were all sisters to him. The morning after he passed the sun was shining so bright, and I knew it was him telling us he was okay and in peace. As painful as it is to think of a world without him, I can’t help but think how fortunate our community is to have an angel like him watching over us. I find comfort in seeing all the support that has been shown towards my friends, his family and the brothers of FIJI, it reflects how infectious his spirit is. There is no right or wrong in this grieving process, but I encourage all of us to embrace the lesson his life has taught us. Christian truly lived every day to its fullest and like the world was on fire. I believe finding the grace in living every day for him instead of without him is one of the many little things we can do as a community to honor him. These last few days, I have been referring to quote ‘You’ve got to remember that grief isn’t the absence of love. Grief is proof that love is still there’ Samay’s life reminds us that even in our darkest moments, love overcomes all as a powerful force uniting us one and illuminating our path forward. Not a day will go by where I’m not missing his smile and contagious laugh. He will be with me forever and my gratitude towards him is immense.” ~Ava Kite ’24
“Christian was someone who I looked up to and who I wanted to be. He was truly an unforgettable human being from the way he treated people to his outgoing and charismatic personality. His smile was so contagious and his laugh could brighten up a room. I am so lucky to have been able to call him my friend and my brother.” ~Ben Magovern ’25
“Christian had a remarkable ability to make those around him feel valued and understood. Our relationship was defined by warmth, kindness, and camaraderie. His passing leaves a void in the Bucknell community, but his spirit will continue to inspire us all.” ~Izzy Patry ’24
“Christian was the light of everyone’s life. He was full of love. The Bucknell community is beyond blessed to have had him. We will miss him forever.” ~Riley Seelert ’24
“Christian was one of the kindest people I’ve met during my time at Bucknell. I met him my sophomore year, I was on crutches and having a difficult time. Christian, after knowing me for a total of five minutes, immediately gave me his phone number and told me to please reach out to him if I needed a ride, anytime and anywhere. True to his word, Christian drove me around fairly often that semester, and if he was unable to drive me himself, he’d have one of his friends do it. During these short drives he spoke so highly of his family and was so excited to meet more people on campus — he was already loving his time in Fiji and spoke very highly of his brothers. After that semester, Christian always made sure to say hi to me and ask how things were going whenever we happened to cross paths. He truly was such a friendly, selfless, kindhearted person and I’m forever thankful that I knew him. While we weren’t the closest of friends, his support and kindness following that semester is something that I will truly never forget and something that I’ll always be grateful for. He is so so missed.” ~Olivia Tzefronis ’24
