Marcus Goodman, a caring person who loved everything

This content contains a mention of suicide. If you or someone you know suffers from mental health issues or suicidal thoughts, please review the resources provided at the bottom of this article.

Editor’s Note: The following memorial to Marcus Goodman was written by his girlfriend, Adrianna Layne, in consultation with Goodman’s parents, Rebeca Arbona and Jeff Goodman.

When asked to describe Marcus Goodman, a third year UChicago student who died on September 27, many people talk about the same things: he was a good person, kind and tender, and he always had a smile on his face. . He never failed to be the dumbest person in the room or to be there when people needed him. As a former roommate at Shorey House, fourth year Afsanneh Amleshi, said, “He was one of those rare people who said thank you every time at the end of class to the teacher. Marcus and all of his warmth, fun and kindness are truly missed. Marcus was the kind of person who waved to strangers, who would always drop by the reception at the International House to ask how the staff day was going, walk across campus to deliver a Pret chocolate croissant and a hug if he knew. that someone was sad.

But one thing not many people mention, something only his mother and I, his girlfriend, have the heart to say is that Marcus Jacob Goodman tasted bad. During his mother Rebeca’s speech at her funeral, we established that he was bad at choosing things because he saw value in everything and everyone. To him everything was pretty, and everything had value, and he didn’t discriminate against people or things because he loved everything. Marcus Goodman liked pretty much anything that wasn’t a tomato, pineapple, or eggplant.

So this memorial is a journey through some of the things he loved the most.

Marcus loved his family. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, but his family comes from all over. Her mother is Puerto Rican, so her family is divided between there, New York and many other places. In order to stay connected, they had two weekly Zoom calls (Wednesdays and Sundays) that he always made sure to schedule into his busy class schedule. There he tried to help his Aba with his laptop, while frequently forgetting to mute his own computer. In those calls, he caught up with his parents, grandparents, and older sister, Sofia, and they talked about everything and nothing: social events, his decision to drop the chemistry major for computer science, how his cats got him. were missing, but had a good time in class.

Marcus and his older sister, Sofia, are four years apart: The week he graduated from high school, she graduated from college. They were always close, and before returning to school for the fall term of 2021, he visited her in Texas, where they climbed, dealt with broken down cars, and experienced multiple adventures to try to find a place to swim. He loved every minute of their time together and he loved her and the rest of her family very much.

Marcus was affectionately called the whispering cat by those who knew him best. Her family’s three cats, Kala, Mako and Reggie, were the highlight of the home visits. As his mother said, “Marcus never met a cat he didn’t like. He loved all the cats he met and his own cat Kala multiplied by 1000. In early September we stayed at an Airbnb in Virginia where we found three kittens living on the porch. For a week he fed them, as Marcus never met a cat he didn’t instantly fall in love with.

It’s silly to say he loved food, because everyone loves food, but Marcus’ relationship with food was special. He mixed together a bunch of random ingredients he liked and called it a meal, even if the combination made someone else’s stomach turn. His father is the chef of the house and Marcus had recently started to learn to cook. His all-time favorite was sushi, but when he was in Hyde Park he loved to eat at Strings Ramen and Seoul Taco. He had one or the other at least once a week. He was almost always found munching on wasabi peas or seaweed, and was Shorey House’s unofficial seaweed merchant. He loved to try new things: he grew up with a family saying that trying something new adds a day to your life. He always encouraged people to try new foods and activities because he liked to share the things that he was passionate about.

Marcus also loved music. He had a playlist which he used for everything he called “Would Listen to Again”. His best friend Christian Dixon, third year, told me he listened to the playlist a lot lately: “It’s nice to imagine him jamming while listening. Marcus couldn’t dance and he couldn’t wear a tune, even though he played the trumpet in high school, but he still enjoyed dancing and singing. He was awkward and happy and his dancing put a smile on his face and everyone else.

Marcus liked to be outside. In high school he ran cross country and played Frisbee and he continued to run regularly at UChicago. He spent a lot of time in the Phoenix Garden in Jackson Park, especially in hot weather. He always found time to be outside or do his homework outside when the weather was nice. However, he did not like the cold and could be seen traveling all year round with a fluffy black blanket.

One of the things he loved the most was his home in UChicago, Shorey. This is where we met, and also where he met his best friend, Christian, as well as his family away from home. Its resident chef Natasha said: “He was part of the house. Even during the Zoom year, everyone knew him because he was at every meeting and always there, if he wasn’t there it felt weird. This year, I decorated the living room with photos of events from the house to show people what the house looked like before Zoom, and it’s in every photo. He took part in everything around the house, from karaoke to field trips, and even organized movie nights. His roommate Elizabeth Singer said, “Everyone in the house loved him because he was generous, gentle, kind, wise, compassionate, understanding and loving. (Marcus was) a truly loved person who made every event or evening in the living room brighter.

On September 25, we went to the Museum of Science and Industry and strolled through the Marvel exhibit for what was going to be our last date. I always took him to things I wanted to see, because he didn’t care what we did. He just wanted to hang out with those he cared about. In turn, Marcus reminded me of the importance of relaxing, taking breaks and being kind to myself.

On September 26, Marcus spent the day meeting new people at Shorey, having lunch and helping them fix the projector for another home movie, and he had a great day. Shorey House was a source of so much joy for Marcus at UChicago. It was there that he played Just Dance in the living room until late at night, and where he drank too much coffee to stand up and do his homework. This is where he and Chirstian watched TV every week. We had our first kiss in the study rooms at I-House, and a few days later he finally had the courage to invite me out, with a little nudge from everyone in the house. At Shorey and at I-House, Marcus built a house of people he loved.

On Monday September 27, Marcus Jacob Goodman committed suicide. The people I spoke with who loved Marcus saw no signs that he was suicidal. For me, Marcus’ death was a reminder that everyone faces their own struggles. I want to tell readers that it’s important to reach out when you need help.

On Thursday, the University hosted a reception at International House. Marcus’ teachers and classmates came along, alongside Shoreyites through the years and people who had met him once but whom he made an impression on. He would have loved it. There was tons of food and some friends even brought wasabi peas. On Sunday October 3, at his funeral, more than 400 people came to show him and his family their love and support, and many more joined online.

Because while Marcus Goodman loved everything, he was also truly loved in return.

For more stories about Marcus, visit the tribute wall on his obituary: https://www.weilkahnfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Marcus-Goodman/#!/TributeWall

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The 24/7 on-call therapist can be reached at 773.702.3625.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.