Honoring a classmate

~ Notre Dame, technology school plant tree in memory of Glaus, who died in a tractor accident May 5.

Standing in their bright blue graduation gowns, students brushed backed tears Thursday as they watched Notre Dame Regional High School officials and Catholic priests dedicate a leafy maple tree on the school grounds in memory of classmate Tyler Glaus.

Glaus died in a tractor accident on May 5.

More than 100 graduating Notre Dame students quietly filed out into the sunshine to pay tribute to Glaus after a baccalaureate service.

A handful of Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center students also attended along with horticulture teacher Harry Bertrand and center director Rich Payne.

The center donated the red sunset maple tree -- planted Tuesday -- in honor of Glaus, 18, of Chaffee, who attended both the Catholic high school and the career and technology center.

Tyler Glaus' parents, Carla and Stacey Glaus, attended a tree dedication ceremony for their son Thursday morning.

"This tree symbolizes life and the new life Tyler now has," said Brother David Migliorino, principal of Notre Dame Regional High School, adding that Glaus was looking down on them from heaven.

Migliorino sprinkled holy water on the tree as Glaus' grieving parents, Stacey and Carla Glaus, watched. "Most importantly, we bless the memory of Tyler Glaus," Migliorino said.

Several priests in ceremonial garb also participated in the service as one by one they sprinkled holy water on the 8-foot-tall tree.

A tearful Carla Glaus found it difficult to talk about her son. But she said the family was grateful for the memorial tree.

Migliorino also choked up as he spoke about the beloved, honor-roll student.

"He was just a special kid," the principal said. "He died as he lived, just helping people."

Glaus died when a tractor he was helping remove from a small pond overturned, pinning him underwater. He died of asphyxiation. The weight of the tractor prevented him from breathing, according to Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton.

Migliorino said Glaus touched everyone he met. "Everybody just loved this kid," the principal said.

Payne, who directs the career center, said he felt it was important for the vocational school to donate a tree in memory of Glaus.

"He was one of our best students at the career and technology center and a wonderful kid," Payne said.

Members of the Notre Dame Regional High School community, including parents and staff, have donated $10,000 to establish a scholarship in memory of Tyler Glaus.

Fellow classmate Frank Blasiney and several other graduating seniors have raised some $5,000 by selling T-shirts and caps in memory of Glaus. The money will be added to the scholarship.

"I thought it was awesome," Blasiney said of the tree dedication ceremony.

He said Glaus would have been honored by the ceremony. "He would have thought that it was real cool that it was for him."

Classmates still grieve over Glaus' death, but Thursday's ceremony eased the pain. "When you celebrate somebody's life, it gets easier," Frank Blasiney said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, ext. 123