A life that will be remembered for his passion, intelligence

 

 

On March 24, Korey Nicholls, a psychology and philosophy junior at UK, passed away.

No life can be compressed into a few hundred words, and certainly not one as unique as Korey’s. But as I reflect on my time with Korey and discuss memories with others, I find that two traits stand out: his exceptional kindness and his impressive intelligence.

Korey was the sort of passionate individual who not only examined what was wrong with the world, but also actively sought to improve it. As a founding member of the Pulaski County Young Democrats, Korey proved early on to be a tireless advocate of the causes that were important to him.

Upon arriving at UK, Korey continued this work, becoming an active member of the UK College Democrats, ultimately serving as secretary. Korey also held a strong commitment to critical thinking and scientific inquiry.

As an early and active member of the UK Secular Student Alliance, I remember meeting Korey at the organization’s first meeting. Korey was always a passionate activist in the UK SSA, ever eager to assist in any way he could.

In his time as treasurer of the organization, I saw Korey’s exceptional passion firsthand. Always a lover of science fiction and fantasy, members of the UK Guild of Gamers remember Korey as a kind, engaging attendee. His weekly tabletop gaming group misses him sorely.

Korey’s incredible kindness and passion might only be matched by his striking intelligence. Privately interested in philosophy, politics and science, Korey maintained an impressive GPA and was regularly honored on the Dean’s List.

Korey’s intelligence was immediately evident in almost any conversation. I came to respect Korey for the thoughtfulness he brought to nearly any issue. I will truly miss the discussions I had with him, as I’m sure many others will.

It is with great sadness that I reflect on one final fact about Korey’s life: By most indications, it seems that he himself chose to end it. We can do little more than speculate as to why.

As I discuss his impact with friends and colleagues, it is indisputable that Korey was precisely the sort of passionate, intelligent individual our university, our Commonwealth, and our world needs. We must remind those around us, our friends, colleagues and fellow students, how important they are to us. If you’re ever feeling alone, worthless or afraid, know that your life matters.

Know that no matter how alone you feel, others are itching to remind you how much they love you if you’ll only express how you feel. If you’re feeling like you have no other options, open up to others, or talk with the incredible folks at the UK Counseling Center.

Meanwhile, let this be an opportunity to show those around us what they have to live for. Take a moment today to remind your friends, co-workers and family how much you care about them and their well-being.

As a testament to his kindness and wit, I’ll let Korey close with a post he had on his Facebook: “The key is to form a central idea, a foundation to base all beliefs and convictions on. My central idea: to have a positive effect on individuals and society. What’s yours?”