My brother was the smartest person I’ve ever known. For those reading these words, this is likely the first thing you noticed about Colin. His innate intelligence, curiosity about anything and everything, and his drive for excellence were the characteristics that most often defined Colin to the world. He was always top in his class, could perform any math or science-related task with an unnatural ease, and had an IQ that our family eventually learned rivaled that of Einstein. Believe me, as his younger sister, this proved to be the most annoying and most wonderful quality to have in an older sibling. His example created a chronic drive within me (and I’m told within many of his peers) to perform at the same level. Thankfully for me, Colin was never one to guard his talents. Countless hours of free tutoring at the kitchen table defined much of our relationship during middle and high school. He was my main academic support system and I was a younger sibling filled with pride whenever recognized as “Kingston’s sister.” 

 

However, the rarity of a soul that was my brother included much more than a formidable intellect. Colin was incredibly thoughtful. For those who were privileged enough to know him well, it’s highly likely that you’ve received a thoughtful gift, often out-of-the-blue, from Colin. He would keep ‘a keen eye’ out for trinkets and objects that reminded him of someone he loved and send them as a way of silently showing how much he cared. Each year on my birthday, Colin presented me with a handmade illustrated card with some quippy comic drawn on the cover. This was in keeping with one of his best qualities: a wit so cunning his retorts would go over your head if your attention slipped for even a second. He was a master of working a hilarious quote from a shared TV show or novel into conversations. He liked to refer to himself as “C. Ross” and would slip his own nickname into a sentence to elicit a smile from those around him (i.e. “Make sure you look both ways before you c.ross the street!”). It’s these inside jokes that I know I’ll miss the most.

 

Colin was also an avid fluffy animal lover, emphasis placed intentionally as he specifically adored any animal that was soft and cuddly. He recently shared with me that the moments he thought of as his ‘patronus memory,’ meaning the happiest in his life, were the hours he spent reading Calvin and Hobbes on our childhood couch, petting our cat Oscar as he sat on his stomach. Indeed, being immersed in literature in any form, from well-written comics to medical texts to the great American classics, was Colin’s favorite state-of-being. Just this past year, Colin started reading the entirety of Shakespeare’s written works as a personal challenge. While looking through his belongings over the past weeks, I discovered a printed out list of Shakespeare’s texts with markings indicating if he: a) owned the book and b) had read it yet. This level of detail and deliberation were qualities Colin brought to all his endeavors. Wherever Colin moved, he would display his cherished books in a carefully curated order with corresponding objects that would tie into the topics of each tome. He would even draw his own bookmarks for his most prized novels. These are but a few of the idiosyncrasies that made up my brother’s delightfully unique being. 

 

It seems strange not to mention that with all the beauty found in my brother’s character and brilliance came an ongoing personal struggle. Colin battled the double-edged sword of his psychological acuity. With his genius came struggles with depression and anxiety. But, Colin fought. He fought harder than I have ever seen a person fight. Through astoundingly challenging conditions Colin persevered, working towards a life he envisioned for himself. The doctorate he received in the spring of 2019 was a perfect testament to the absolute powerhouse of a human that he was. Colin fought for his happiness until he could fight no more. His courage, perhaps, is the quality that I’ll continue looking up to most in the years to come. 

 

Thank you, to all those reading this who made the world easier or more enjoyable for Colin. With such an immeasurable loss to the lives of all those who knew and loved him, we are left with an imperative to carry on in kindness, curiosity, and courage to honor his memory.