Silence hung over the Columns as mourners gathered Tuesday evening to remember sophomore McKenna Lee Campbell who died Saturday. She was 19 years old.
All of them were coping with the loss of Campbell, who was described by many as “one of those people who you could never forget.” More than 100 people gathered for the candlelight vigil, including relatives and friends.
Blue, pink and purple balloons were passed out and marked with messages, along with candles that flickered throughout the duration of the 25-minute ceremony as family and close friends shared anecdotes and stories.
Sophomore Kelly Gorniak was a close friend of Campbell’s since first grade, living in the same neighborhood as Campbell and even attending the same schools, including MU.
“McKenna was a very selfless person,” Gorniak said. “She was the person who put everyone before herself, a very godly person. She went to church every Sunday, she really influenced my faith in God. There was a week in between where I didn’t have a home for a week, she let me stay with her.”
Campbell was a new member of the Christian-affiliated sorority Sigma Phi Lambda. Mataya Thomas, senior and Sigma Phi Lambda president, spoke at the vigil. She said she and Campbell bonded quickly during recruitment. She was going to be Campbell’s sorority big sister.
“Reveal was scheduled for tomorrow, so I will never be able to tell McKenna that our wish had come true and that we were chosen to be together,” Thomas said through tears. “I texted her the night I found out about her passing and told her that I was her big, and I was so sorry that I was never able to tell her that in person.”
Campbell’s final Facebook post, made at 3:02 p.m. Sept. 25, simply said “forgive me.”
Her father, Dan Campbell, began his speech at the vigil by clarifying the cause of her death.
“We met with the doctor that did the autopsy on McKenna, and I just wanted you to know that they ruled this as an accidental alcohol overdose,” he said. “She didn’t take a bunch of pills. She had no reason to give up her life, she had a lot of hope, she had a lot of friends, she had a lot of things going on in her life she was looking forward too, the new sorority, the new big sister, she was going to work the next day.”
The Columbia Police Department responded to a call at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 26, and Campbell was transferred to the Boone County Medical Examiner’s office, according to CPD Public Information Officer Latisha Stroer. They have launched a death investigation.
A [GoFundMe account](https://www.gofundme.com/McKennaCampbell) was created to raise money to assist the Campbell family with funeral costs.
Dan Campbell said he believed McKenna was attempting to drown her sorrows in alcohol and asked those present to be cognizant of the dangers of alcohol.
“I’m not here to say don’t ever drink, but I’m saying we have to take care of each other and watch out for each other,” Dan Campbell said. “She was drinking alone, and I know many of you reached out to her that night and some of you were trying to help her.”
Dan Campbell then encouraged those in attendance to hug their neighbor to “show them sincerely that you love them and that you care about them. That they matter.”
The balloons were released and picked up by the fall wind, rising past the dome of Jesse Hall, fading into the overcast sky.
The crowd dissolved into silence, aside from the sobs of friends and family.
McKenna Campbell’s pastor David Sunday led the group in a prayer concluding the ceremony.
“This world is broken, this world is also beautiful,” Sunday said. “McKenna was broken, but McKenna was beautiful. I’m broken, you are broken, but there is also beauty.”
