4 March 2022
The Wonderful and Tragic Life of Abigail Kavanaugh
Today we have come together to celebrate and reflect on the beautiful and tragic life of . Though she was only 19 when she passed, I can wholeheartedly say that Abbey lived an extraordinary and fulfilling life. She constantly loved to surround herself with the people she loved, and the people she knew understood her and would always be by her side. Nothing could stop Abbey from going out into the world and trying something totally bazaar and unlike her, but that’s what made her so unique. Abbey didn’t let anyone tell her what was right or wrong when it came to how she lived and how she viewed the world. Abbey was passionate about learning everything she could about new things in life and about what truly interested her, including the area of science that she was studying while attending the University of Notre Dame. Ever since she was young, Abbey knew that she wanted to do something with her life that would bring joy and hope to others around her, and she wanted to be able to meet and help new people every day constantly. Because of this, Abbey fell in love with the idea of being a doctor when she was just 11 years old. Although she didn’t fully understand the path and journey she would have to take to achieve this, she knew that in the end, no matter what, she would be a doctor. Because of this, when she chose the university she would (hopefully) spend her college years at, her heart was set on majoring in biological science and then going on to medical school. When Abbey first got to college and debated her major, she did have some doubts, as any typical student does. It wasn’t until she read a letter from the Center for Career Development, in which they mentioned that “contrary to popular belief, deciding on a major does not determine the rest of your life” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Moreau First Year Experience Course - Moreau FYE Week Four). After reading this, Abbey started to reflect on her choices and major. She went out of her way to have a deep and greatly needed conversation with her mom, which clarified Abbey. Abbey’s mom got the chance to talk about how she viewed Abbey and what she thought about Abbey’s choices, and even the future she saw for her daughter (“Discernment Activity” - Moreau FYE Week Five). Abbey cherished this conversation because it was one she knew she needed to have and brought her to a decision that would shape her life. In the end, Abbey knew that she had made the right choice of studying biology. After all, she didn’t choose it because she wanted to be a doctor, but she picked it because she loved learning about what makes living things, living, and what makes us the functioning people we are today. Abbey was so enamored and interested in the body that her room at home was filled with different pictures and knick-knacks of skulls that she looked at and loved. These skulls brought Abbey comfort and joy because they reminded Abbey that everyone is made up of the same things and that they were all fragile and human. When Abbey learned about Sister Theresa Aletheia and her views on death and love for skulls, she connected with her instantly. Abbey agreed with Sister Aletheia that people need to understand that they don’t have all the time in the world to do everything they want, so they need to live life to the fullest now and live without any regrets (“Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die” by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week Three). And Abbey just did this. Abbey always lived life to the fullest and was always open to new things and experiences. 
Abbey was a great friend and daughter, and she was always there for the ones she loved no matter what was going on in her own life. Abbey chose to be the person everyone knew they could go to to get advice about anything. She was the person to offer up solutions or to simply be there to offer a shoulder or ear, whether a person just needed to vent or to cry. When Abbey first learned about Father Ted Hesburgh when at Notre Dame, that is someone that Abbey greatly admired and wanted to be like. She described him as this great man who helped everyone regardless of the obstacles. He was described as a “bridge-builder” (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and Christine O'Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two) who constantly brought people together irrespective of their differences. Because of this, Abbey took it upon herself to reflect this quality. She wanted to be described as a ‘bridge builder’ just like Father Ted, and I can happily say she achieved this. Abbey looked for different people and actively created relationships that she would never have without going out of her way. Abbey always treated people with kindness and tenderness regardless of who they were. Whenever asked how I would describe Abbey in one word, I would say either of these. Abbey constantly had a smile on her face and constantly was helping others. She prided herself on showing tenderness and believed that that was the way everyone should live. She once listened to a talk from the Pope in which he explained that “Tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women. Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by His Holiness Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week Seven). Abbey wholeheartedly agreed with this statement, and she wanted others to understand it as well. Abbey was always tender and understanding towards others and their situations because she had the biggest heart I knew. She was always there for others, where she was the happiest. 
Although Abbey was always there to help them with anything they needed, she always knew when she needed to take time for herself and reflect. Whenever Abbey felt overwhelmed or simply like she just needed to catch up with life, she always took a step back and would spend time in her room by herself just reflecting. Abbey understood that sometimes she needed to get disconnected from everything and just sit and silence to reflect. There was a quote she lived by which said, “Don’t just do something. Sit there” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Lyer - Moreau FYE Week One). She knew that sometimes she needed a break from people and technology to take a minute for herself and reflect on her life. Although it was a little more challenging to do at college due to all the assignments and exams, she still tried whenever she could. And during these reflection times, she took the time to catch up with her life and everything going on around her. Although Abbey actively reflected, she often said she didn’t feel fully there and caught up with her life. It wasn’t until going to Notre Dame and experiencing and learning new things that she understood why. While there, she learned the difference between asking What verses Why. In an article, she learned that “Why questions can draw us to our limitations; what questions help us see our potential. “Why questions stir up negative emotions; what questions keep us curious. Why questions trap us in our past; what questions help us create a better future” (“The right way to be introspective (yes, there’s a wrong way)” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week Six). As a result, Abbey started to change the way she reflected and started to ask more of the what questions. After doing this, everyone could see a difference in how she held herself and how she viewed her life. Abbey was more open to difficulties and understood what was happening in her life better than anyone I knew. 
Abbey was an amazing woman who taught me and countless others important lessons about who we are and how life is. Abbey lived a wonderful life and achieved as much as she could in the little time she had.