Emily Romo ‘28 was a student in the LT community, but more importantly, a wrestler, cheerleader, writer, and friend. In her freshman year at LT, Emily had many opportunities to grow and used them to impact others, according to her older sister, Amethyst Romo.

“Growing up, school wasn’t her favorite thing, but in her freshman year [at LT] she took so many new classes,” A. Romo said. “She took a culinary class and would come home to teach us new skills. She learned how to draw and make portraits. She wrote more. She found more avenues for herself to explore, even when they were new or challenging.”

One of these new avenues was joining the LT’s girls wrestling team. Last year, the team had an at-home meet on Nov. 27, and ended their season with one wrestler advancing to IHSA Sectionals in February of this year, Head Coach Darwin DePina said. Emily had friends on the team already, but deepened those preexisting bonds through practices and tournaments. While being a hardworking wrestler aided her team, her qualities off the mat were equally important.

“We were at a wrestling tournament and one of [LT’s] wrestlers was upset, and I was taking care of her, but then Emily stepped in and stayed with her the whole time,” DePina said. “This let me coach the team and know the other wrestler was okay with Emily.”

Outside of wrestling, Emily was also an involved student, English teacher Jessica Roessler said. She started as a more reserved student, but her genuine love for writing made English class a place for her to shine and grow.

“Her growth, not just as maybe a quiet person when she first walked in, but somebody who slowly built confidence to approach people, to share her ideas and her writing,” Roessler said. “I think that’s something that I’m going to remember about her, those moments.”

Within Roessler’s class, Emily submitted to the Tiny Memoir Contest, an international competition run by the New York Times (NYT). This competition challenges students to write a memoir in 100 words or fewer. Over the past two years, the NYT competition has received over 25,000 entries, according to their website. Out of these thousands of submissions, Emily was selected as one of the 56 honorable mentions. Her piece can be read on his page. 

Emily’s genuine love and passion for writing were clear, Roessler said. The NYT recognized this passion in their recognition. 

Emily will be remembered as a bright, accomplished individual, a dedicated student, a skilled wrestler, and a talented writer. She passed away on Thursday, Aug. 14. 

“I don’t know what type of person she would become, but I know [she] would be just like a wonderful human being,” English teacher Sarah Rioux said. “She was just starting to thrive and really come into her own self, with her self-worth, her friend group, and being at LT. Seeing her in seventh grade coming in so shy, to where she was last year and the last time I saw her, it was incredible.”

Rioux was Emily’s seventh and eighth-grade English teacher at Gurrie Middle School before Rioux started teaching at LT last year. According to Rioux, this gave her a unique opportunity to know Emily inside and outside of the classroom, seeing her shine with friends and grow as a student. Roessler also got to see this growth.

“There are so many kids I’ve taught who are scared to take risks because they don’t want to fail,” Roessler said. “Emily was not one of those kids. She was willing to try everything that we asked her to try, and she was willing to take risks. And I think there are a lot of people who can learn from her in that way.”

According to A. Romo, she always wanted to show Emily and her other sister that they could be successful and could go above and beyond what they thought. Even though she led the way, the baby of the family, Emily, had a thing or two to teach A. Romo. 

“She taught me to be fearless,” A. Romo said. “I always tell others to bet on themselves, but for me, I always have that voice asking me, ‘Should I?’ But she taught me to just try it and just to do it.”

New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest entry: “Goodbye cheer”

I chose wrestling. The first day was a whirlwind of nerves and excitement. The sound of shoes hitting the mat, the smell of sweat, and the energy of teammates filled the air. Coach called for partners. I found  a girl named Brianna. She looked strong, but I thought I could take her. I grabbed Brianna’s leg with one hand and rolled her over. I pinned her! The  victory felt great, but Brianna wasn’t done. She flipped me and the world spun. I landed hard on the but got up ready for more. I learned wrestling isn’t just about strength and skill. I was a brand new person. Goodbye Cheer.

-Emily Romo