Once a Lion, Always a Lion

Daniel J. Hollis

March 9, 2000 – October 2, 2019

A student-athlete, leader, artist, music lover, son, brother, and friend, 19-year-old Emerson sophomore Daniel Hollis of Mendon, Massachusetts, left his mark on campus before succumbing to fatal injuries he received following an off-campus altercation.

Hollis passed away on Wednesday, October 2. 

Hollis was a 2018 Hopedale Junior Senior High School graduate and Emerson Marketing Communication major who played goalie for Emerson’s men’s lacrosse team. 

“It’s terrible,” fellow student Lucas Elzer told WCVB Boston earlier this month. “A sweet, sweet kid who was always trying to put a smile on your face and make you laugh, make you happy. It’s hard to lose somebody that was so kind and so nice, and was just trying to bring joy to the student body.”

“As we mourn his loss, we take solace in the fact that Dan’s choice to be an organ donor saved the lives of three people on Thursday,” reads the October 4 media statement from Hollis’s family on CaringBridge. “We pray for a speedy recovery and long, prosperous life for the recipients and their families. May they use his gift to make the world a better place,” 

The College is planning a celebration of Dan’s life for later in the semester; we will share details as soon as they’re available.

Please continue to keep Dan’s family and friends in your thoughts.

For students struggling to process this tremendous loss, ECAPS counselors are available during walk-in hours Monday through Friday, from 2:00-3:30 pm, on the second floor of 216 Tremont Street. After business hours, a counselor can be reached by calling the After Hours Crisis line at 617-824-8595 and pressing “1” at the prompt.

In addition, the Rev. Julie Avis Rogers, campus chaplain and director for spiritual life, is available by appointment for conversation and support. She can be reached at Julie_avisrogers@emerson.edu.

Related Links:

• Emerson President Lee Pelton’s announcement, “Sad News about Daniel Hollis ‘22”
• Messages from Daniel’s family on the CaringBridge website
• Daniel Hollis Obituary