I just read on the news, and got a confirming e-mail, that Will McLaughlin, aide to Senator Wellstone, was one of the people killed in the plane crash.
Will was a fraternity brother from the Minnesota chapter; his position with Wellstone was celebrated in the most recent SigEp Journal [PDF file] (page 41). I knew Will just a little bit; he was a good guy and a rising star both in the fraternity and in politics. I'm saddened even more by this new turn of events and frankly, I'm just a bit tired of all the death that has rained down this month.
UPDATE: I just got the fraternity's news release:
Zollinger House, Richmond, Virginia October 25, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E. Scott Thompson, II, Director of Communications
Phone: 804-353-1901 FAX: 804-359-8160 NEWS RELEASE
Sigma Phi Epsilon is deeply saddened to announce that Brother William M. McLaughlin, Minnesota '02, was aboard Senator Paul Wellstone's plane when it crashed earlier today. He was a staff member for Senator Wellstone's campaign and interned on the Senator's campaign during the Spring of 2002. Will served his Fraternity as Chapter President and as one of three Undergraduate Directors on the Sigma Phi Epsilon National Board of Directors. Last year he was honored as a Zollinger Outstanding Senior for District 15. Will was a bright, energetic fraternity brother and an inspiration to all that knew him.Posted by wasylik at October 25, 2002 05:20 PM | TrackBack