By John Buethe

On April 17, autopsy reports confirmed that the body found in Goose Lake in White Bear Lake, Minn. was that of former SJU student, Nick Rossini.

The body was found that Monday, four months to the day after he disappeared.

Rossini, 21, disappeared Dec. 17, 2006, the day after he crashed his mother’s car and was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

He had left early that morning without any indication as to where he was going, according to authorities.

For months, Rossini’s family held out hope that Nick would return.

White Bear Lake police believe that Rossini was out for a morning run when he fell through the ice and drowned.

Rossini was found in his running gear, which included a St. John’s T-shirt.

Rossini was from White Bear Lake, a suburb of St. Paul. He transferred to West Point Academy in New York after his first year at St. John’s.

Rossini was recognized at the military institute as one of the top 50 students in his class.

St. John’s junior Bryan Mills was friends with Rossini since childhood.

Mills said he believes that Rossini transferred to West Point because it offered him a sense of purpose in life.

“Nick (Rossini) was looking for direction,” Mills said. “He found that in the service.”

Mills said that Rossini had been offered his commission to West Point after an impressive showing at boot camp where he was training as a regular.

“They saw that Nick was more than just a little bit intelligent,” Mills said. “They saw that he was just off the charts.”

West Point sophomore, Nicholas Vandam, was Rossini’s squad leader at West Point, and spoke to Rossini’s love of country.

“He enjoyed his time at St. John’s, but wanted to serve in the military as well,” Vandam said. “He was really into that whole patriotic American deal.”

Charismatic and fun-loving

SJU senior Brian Hoban was childhood friends with Rossini, and a member of the same little league team as Mills and Rossini.

“There was a group of four or five of us who played baseball together from T-ball to about fourth grade,” Hoban said.

Though Hoban said that he and Rossini drifted apart as they attended different high schools, he has a recollection of Rossini’s character.

“He was always a pretty fun kid,” Hoban said. “He was always smiling and playing around.”

Hoban also said that Rossini was an athlete.

In high school, Rossini was a three-sport letterman. While at SJU, he played varsity football and baseball.

Although he admits that Rossini lost contact in high school, Hoban says that they reconnected during the year Rossini spent at SJU.

“(While in college) Rossini was charismatic and fun-loving,” Hoban said. “(He) brought people together by genuinely caring about people.”

Rossini’s funeral was Saturday at Saint Mary of the Lake Church in White Bear Lake.

Both Mills and Hoban attended the ceremony.

“The church was packed, standing-room only,” Hoban said. “There was an overwhelming sense of unity there. It was just too bad that everyone was brought back together for that reason.”

Vandam who was unable to attend the funeral, regrets not having the chance to truly befriend Rossini.

“Personally I know that I would have developed a friendship with him,” Vandam said. “Freshmen are not allowed to be friends with upperclassmen (at West Point), but next year we would be. We would have been, I mean.”

Filed under: News by John Buethe