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Catherine D’Antonio, class of 2012, dies after fight with kidney cancer
Catherine D’Antonio, pictured top right, stands with members of the Delta Gamma Relay For Life team in 2012. D’Antonio passed away this past weekend after a fight with kidney cancer.
Less than a week after her passing, students, alumni and friends are continuing to mourn the loss of a woman known for her empathy and relentless dedication to her sisters and Washington University as a whole.
Catherine D’Antonio, a former president of Delta Gamma sorority, leaves behind a legacy of compassion built through significant commitment to her alma mater.
Only those closest to her knew about her battle with kidney cancer, and the current DG president, senior Carly Waldman, said her care for others was one of the most profound aspects of her as a person.
“She didn’t want anyone to suffer on her behalf. She was always unbelievably strong and ultimately didn’t feel the need to trouble anyone or hurt anyone,” Waldman said. “She just wanted to see other people succeed and grow.”
Her sorority has spent the week mourning her loss with support from throughout the Greek community. Waldman said the group has gotten multiple bouquets of flowers and comforting messages since hearing of the death Monday night.
“It really reflects this idea of sisterhood,” Waldman said. “All of our underclassmen are almost just as impacted as those who knew Catherine, and they can’t always explain why, but they are definitely grieving, too.”
“It’s been really terrible but really beautiful…to see how supportive and strong the community is here,” she added.
A memorial service for D’Antonio will be held this Saturday in Wisconsin, where she passed away.
“It’s clear [from contact] that we have gotten from alums, people who graduated even before her, she was a really cool person who obviously had a big impact,” Director of Greek Life Mike Hayes said. “You see the very best of an organization and the values they represent when they come together in crisis situations.”
“We’ll do what we can to ensure that the folks in the chapter who are impacted by the loss most closely are taking care of each other and themselves,” he added.
D’Antonio’s commitment to campus extended past her involvement in her sorority. In addition to being on the steering committee for Relay For Life, she also participated in Campus Kitchen and worked at the South 40 Fitness Center.
Senior Averill Guo, external vice president of Campus Kitchen, said he looked up to D’Antonio when he joined the group as a sophomore and she was one of the group’s leaders.
“She was always really dedicated to the group,” he said. “From what I know, she was really great…I remember we painted the underpass for Trick or Treat for Cans; she helped organize that and put that together.”
After studying biology at Washington University, she worked as an implementation consultant for Epic with a number of other Wash. U. graduates.
Waldman said a number of students will be traveling to Wisconsin for the main memorial service being held in her honor, and a number of her friends will be coming to campus to see the community she worked so hard to make what it is today.
“There are some women traveling here this weekend just to be in the comforting environment that [D’Antonio] cultivated during her time at Wash. U.,” she said. “It’s a blessing in disguise that we’re still on campus for something like this, and I know other women who were probably closer to her have since graduated so they don’t have as much of a direct network. And they’re really seeking it out as much as they can.”