GHS graduate dies after fall from ledge in Rome

Keith Carr

ROME-- A Greencastle native passed away early Tuesday morning following an accident in Italy.

Andrew Keith Carr, 21, was a 2011 Greencastle High School graduate who recently completed his sophomore year at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

At around 2 a.m. local time, Carr fell from a ledge along the banks of the Tiber River. He was walking with some friends who said he lost his balance and slipped, falling approximately 50 feet.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel provided the Banner Graphic with a copy of a Tuesday morning email from Marquette President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., announcing Carr's tragic death.

"I am writing you today with great sadness. One of our students studying abroad in Rome, Andrew Keith Carr, passed away last night," Pilarz wrote. "His light only graced this campus for a short time, but his memory will live in his family, his friends and our Marquette community forever."

An operations and supply chain management major at Marquette, Carr had been studying abroad at John Cabot University, an American university in Rome.

As a student, Carr frequently made the dean's list and was a recipient of the Ignatius and Magis scholarships. He was also a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and a participant on the university's Quidditch team.

In his time at GHS, Carr was an honor student and a member of the Tiger Cub football and basketball teams.

He is the son of Mark and Julie Carr of Greencastle and the brother of Makenzie Carr, a Marquette graduate.

Marquette is working with John Cabot University to provide support to Carr's roommates and friends in Rome. Marquette vice president of mission and ministry Stephanie Russell spoke to the Banner Graphic of these efforts.

"We've begun to reach out to students, first in his program in Rome, and to make sure that there is both counseling support and pastoral support for them because they are the most quickly affected by this tragedy," Russell said.

The university is also providing counseling services on campus in Milwaukee.

"We're making an explicit effort to touch base with a number of different communities that Keith was involved in," Russell said.

She said the university is planning an on-campus service in Carr's honor both during the summer and then during the fall semester.

However, she said the first priority had been reaching out to the Carr family "for whom this is such a huge, huge shock and loss."

Russell also expressed that the Greencastle community is on the hearts and minds of the Marquette community in this time of loss.

"Our hearts go out to your whole community. It's a huge loss for all of you," Russell said. "We ask for your prayers and we will be praying for all of you."