250 mourn death of freshman

Friends of Michael Green gathered to mourn his death at a public vigil Monday night.\nAlthough Green was known to his friends as "Mean Green," they viewed him as the nicest person they had ever known.\n"He was such a sharp, well-rounded guy, with the biggest heart," said freshman Brady O'Malia, Green's best friend. "He had a really determined attitude toward life and school."\nCandles lined the entrance to the former Beta Theta Pi House as more than 250 friends and family gathered to mourn the freshman.\nNineteen-year-old Green was found dead early Sunday morning after falling from the ninth floor of Briscoe-Gucker. His death has not yet been classified as an accident or suicide, and police are still waiting for results from the coroner's office.\nThe vigil was organized by Beta Theta Pi, the fraternity Green was pledging.\nGreen transferred from Purdue University to IU at the beginning of this semester. He was in the University Division and began to explore interests in business entrepreneurship. Green was looking forward to working at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis this summer.\n"He just loved life," said freshman Kyle Webb, Greens' roommate. "He was the most cheerful guy you'd ever meet. He was so outgoing and would strike up a conversation with anyone."\nFreshman Mark Strugatch lived on Green's floor in Briscoe. He said in the three months he knew Green, his life was touched.\n"Mike instantly became one of my best friends," Strugatch said. "I feel like I've known him my whole life. He was the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back and would do anything for his friends."\nAmong the attendees at the vigil was Dean of Students Richard McKaig.\n"I'm here both out of respect for Michael and for Beta Theta Pi," McKaig said. "This vigil is an important part of healing for those that knew him, and I wanted to be here to show my support."\nAfter a short candlelight ceremony, friends and family of Greens' lined up to sign a white tablecloth with his picture on it. The fraternity will later present it as a gift to his family.\nStrugatch said Green's biggest passions were his family and friends, the Cincinnati Reds and collecting bobble-head dolls.\n-- Contact general assignments editor Lori Geller at lfgeller@indiana.edu.