The holidays are generally reflected upon as a time of happiness, celebration and merriment.

Students view December as the light at the end of the semester-tunnel. Spending copious amounts of time shut away in rooms or tucked away in corners of the library you didn’t even know existed, studying to pass finals.

This December marked a tragedy that united a nation. Three young people, Tanner Craswell, Mitch MacLean and Tabitha Stepple, were murdered senselessly on the side of the road outside of Claresholm. Only one person, Shayna Conway, survived.

Craswell and MacLean were members of the Prairie Baseball Academy and were students at the college. Conway is currently a business student at the college.

The memorial was broadcast at the University of P.E.I. as well as worldwide Saturday afternoon from bullsbaseball.com.

Walking into the Enmax Centre Saturday you could feel the sadness emanating from those gathered.

The lights dimmed for “The Spirit of P.E.I,” the first of nine innings to come during the baseball themed memorial.  A sudden sweep of silence rushed over the crowd.

First to the plate to honour Tanner Craswell and Mitch MacLean were fellow Bulls baseball players Mark Clauson and Austin Cooper.

Listening to friends, family and teammates share endearment for fallen friends MacLean, Craswell and Tabitha Stepple instilled a sense of familiarity within those in attendance. The stories and anecdotes bravely shared with the crowd painted a picture of vitality, passion and people that one sees as “True friends.”

The words spoken by loyal teammates, devastated family members and close friends resonated with everyone in the building. The hardest part was hearing their closest friends say how much their fallen friends meant to them.

The story, although heartbreaking and ill-timed, does have a bright side though.

Shayna Conway, aptly christened “The Miracle” of this tragedy, attended Saturday’s service. Speaking via webcam, she bravely reminisced about her fellow islanders above hundreds of people all sharing a collective grief.

You would be in tears, even if you didn’t know these people personally, but you did get to know them, through nine heart-wrenching, admirable and uplifting innings.

Happy memories, candid videos and countless stories were shared by all about the genuine people claimed by this terrible misfortune.

During the ninth and final inning the Prairie Dawgs Baseball Academy formally retired numbers 6 and 13, worn by MacLean and Craswell.
Their jerseys were then gently hung on the lights and slowly ascended towards heaven.