About 100 people gathered in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas to remember junior Mark Langdon, a student who was found dead in his on-campus apartment last Friday. The cause of his death remains unknown.

Langdon’s roommate, sophomore Tim Gaughan, described the morning of the incident.

“My roommate got a call from Mark’s girlfriend, Chloe. Chloe was really concerned because she hadn’t seen Mark in a while. So one of my roommates called me and told me he was concerned. Mark’s TV was on, and his room was locked,” Gaughan said. “Originally, my roommate thought Mark was staying at Chloe’s place, but when she called, we decided to call Public Safety, and he was found dead on his bed.”

Langdon, 22, of Omaha, Neb., was studying political science at St. Thomas. The Rev. Erich Rutten, chaplain and director of Campus Ministry, presided the Mass and said Langdon hoped to attend law school in the future.

Langdon’s older brother, T.J. Langdon, talked about Mark’s presence when he would enter a room, and how this personality would transfer into the afterlife.

“He lights up a room, no matter how dark it is,” T.J. Langdon said. “Well Mark now, is in the brightest room – a room with God. I know he will make an impossibly bright room even a little bit brighter.”

Langdon’s other roommate, junior Andy Brown, said he went through Alcoholics Anonymous with him.

“I met Mark in recovery this past spring, and he struggled through his recovery,” Brown said. “He always was trying to stay clean. He was a good man with a strong heart.”

Rutten spoke with Langdon’s father, Tom Langdon, prior to the service, and told the congregation about Langdon’s captivating personality.

“Mark’s dad described him as a great kid, sharp, bright and with the biggest heart anyone could know,” Rutten said.

Rutten also shared a humorous story he heard from Langdon’s mother.

“His mom told a story that he had a great love for the family dogs, and he would hold up one of the family dogs, and then speak through the dog with different voices ‘I think it’s time for dinner, don’t you?’” Rutten said.

Rutten based his homily off the concept that sometimes we can’t find the words to express situations like this, and that in times like these, we must simply look to God.

“Over time we will be willing to share our sorrow, willing to share our tragedy with this,” Rutten said. “But tonight, tonight maybe our job is to listen. Tonight, maybe our job is simply to be open to God’s word rather than trying to find our own.”

After the service, many of Langdon’s friends and family shared fond memories, and Gaughan reflected on how he wished he could have had more time with Mark Langdon.

“I first met Mark in August, right before I moved into Flynn, and I could tell what a strong individual he was, Gaughan said. “He was always enthusiastic and energetic, and it was a pleasure to know him.”

Mark Langdon’s other roommate, sophomore Fredrik Bjoenness, said Mark Langdon let him come home with him for Thanksgiving.

“Mark was the best roommate and the greatest guy. The way I could come home with him to Thanksgiving, that tells everything about that guy,” Bjoenness said.

Langdon’s girlfriend, Chloe Glarner, also spoke at the service. Glarner said that Langdon was always there for others.

“My favorite attribute about Mark was that he cared about everybody else more than he cared about himself,” Glarner said. “I can’t count how many lives he’s saved on two hands.”

Kayla Bengtson can be reached at beng2004@stthomas.edu.