Kevin j. Hogan 

Kevin Hogan was an incredible brother, son, teammate, athlete, friend, and always the life of the party. He did it big!

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He attended St. Christopher’s in Rocky River where he was very active in a number of sports and activities. He loved pick-up baseball games at the triangle, building skateboarding ramps for gnarly tricks and subsequent injuries, and playing hockey on the makeshift ice rink built annually in the Hogan's backyard. And when the sports equipment got lost or broken, Kev and his siblings would simply race down the street in rolling office chairs they'd garbage picked off of neighbors' lawns. He was a spirited and fun-loving kid, which explains why he was so well loved by his classmates and neighborhood buds in River. 

 

He then attended St. Ignatius High School where he played rugby for the Warrior Rugby Club. At fourteen years old, Kevin was by-far the smallest one on the field, but that never stopped him. Simply being told "you can't" was all the motivation Kevin needed. Whether doubted for his size or skill-level, Kev worked tirelessly to grow stronger, faster, and braver on the field. His remarkable work ethic ensured that he proved all nay-sayers wrong, and never let them hear the end of it. By Kevin’s senior year, his efforts paid off as he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player.

 

He went on to the University of Dayton, where he majored in Criminal Justice Studies, and participated in several extracurricular activities, most notably the UD Men’s Rugby Club. During his time at UD, Kev helped to lead the late night crew, took his shirt off in public regardless of weather conditions (completely unprovoked most of the time), and actively boycotted Tim’s. Like in high school, being told, “you won’t” was all the motivation he needed to prove you wrong. Sometimes against his better judgement, choosing instead to follow the judgement of whomever rolled the four. Anyone who has ever met Kev would agree, he was a man who loved a challenge.

 

Kevin was an unofficial stand-up comedian. He could have a whole group rolling on the floor laughing, though that wasn’t his typical stage. If you were lucky enough to grab a seat next to him at a party or event, you were lucky enough. His commentary on normal day-to-day interactions was a comedy show in and of itself. Kev's natural quick wit and clever narrations added humor into even the most uninteresting objects and the most mundane experiences. 

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Kevin was a compassionate individual who had the gift of empathy, and provided a kind listening ear when others needed one. He is known for his late-night conversations with friends, always offering support and encouragement. For many, his unwavering loyalty provided strength and comfort at times when they most needed a best friend.  

 

Kevin lead by example. He prided himself on his leadership involvement with several rugby clubs as well as his disciplined fitness routine. He could often be seen after practice helping his teammates improve their skills as well as getting that extra run in to give him an edge over competitors. His teammates often said that everyone wanted to be on Hogan’s team when they scrimmaged.

 

Words could never fully encompass the beautiful person Kevin grew to be in his short twenty-one years with us. In October of 2015, during Kevin’s senior year at UD, he unexpectedly passed away. From his uplifting sense of humor to his tireless loyalty, Kevin’s spirit will always be greatly missed by countless individuals.  With his legacy in mind and heart, Kevin’s family and friends decided to start a memorial scholarship in his memory to help keep his spirit alive, and to encourage all who knew him to "keep doin' it big." 

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Kevin was one who always put others before himself. He used to say, “Always smile at people as you walk by, even if they don’t smile back [and you feel awkward], because you never know their secret battles or what they are going through.” Kevin was so willing to offer help to others, but neglected to seek help for his own secret battles. Looking back, we wish so desperately that Kevin could have recognized that being tough does not mean never asking for help, especially in times when our battles seem unbearable. This is the stigma that we want to set straight: Even a badass needs a little help sometimes.

 

This scholarship is here not only as a reminder of the amazing individual that Kevin was, but also to promote the idea no matter who you are or what you are dealing with, there are always, always people around who would give anything to help you out. It is always okay to ask for help. We hope this helps to encourage a dialogue between those suffering and those who can be sources of support. Seek help and offer help however you can. It is always worth it.