Hundreds gathered this past Thursday to celebrate the life of Binghamton University student Robert Martin.

Martin, a graduate student from Syracuse, New York who died on April 1, was a goalkeeper for the BU men’s lacrosse team since his freshman year. The memorial service was held at the Events Center, where attendees were given candles and a photo of Martin. The service featured speakers including Martin’s teammates, a pastor and a collage highlighting photos and videos of Martin throughout his life.

One of Martin’s teammates reminisced on their first time meeting Martin and the memories they shared both on and off the lacrosse field. The speaker talked about the positive energy Martin brought as a person, particularly during games.

“Something that always made me smile is when we watch the [game] film and you always notice one kid on the sideline who is cheering a little louder than everyone else,” the teammate said. “He was pretty much on the field when we scored a goal or we made a stop on defense. Those little things are what I am going to miss the most about Rob.”

Another teammate first thanked everyone for attending the service and the outreach given by the University community, and then reminisced about his first time meeting Martin at a party.

“He was unapologetically himself,” the teammate said. “He was never afraid to be different and it is what made Rob so special.”

The teammate said the men’s lacrosse team had reached out to John Timm, ‘21, who had founded No Man Sits Alone, a campaign that promotes discussion on men’s mental health. Founded following Timm’s own battles with depression and anxiety, the campaign builds and sells folding Adirondack chairs, with $100 sent to a mental health nonprofit for every four chairs sold. The speaker announced that Timm plans to send chairs to the University and Downtown Binghamton in honor of Martin.

The teammate urged the crowd, especially men, who feel hesitant to speak out about mental health issues to always reach out.

“As men, we have to understand that everyone has struggles,” the teammate said. “Check in with each other, love one another and never be afraid to ask for help. While this is an incredible tragedy, it was my greatest honor to be on that team with Robert. Not only was he an amazing teammate, but a beautiful soul. Everyone can say they were blessed enough for the opportunity to get to know Rob.”