July 19, 2004: Gabriel Krenza

To me Burke was a man that had an unlimited amount of strength, tenacity, and power to get done what needed to get done. He loved helping and teaching and he was the most motivated person I have ever known. When I was 14 I did the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. I went up to Canada alone and participated in a three-week canoe expedition with seven other kids my age, and Burke into the most intense isolated wilderness I have ever experienced. On this expedition I was faced with many struggles including carrying a canoe that was probably half my body weight, eating food that was cooked by myself and other boys my age (many times till is was burnt into a solid block in a pot), portaged a canoe over land where I would sink up to my chest in mud, spent most of the nights in a cold, wet sleeping bag, peeled blisters off my hands that seemed to never stopped appearing because of constant paddling, and I was feeling terrifyingly homesick. Needless to say, at 14 I was having the most miserable, uncomfortable and painful time I had ever had. I would cry myself to sleep every night, because I had no one to lean on, I had to carry my own weight. Burke saw me and saw how much of a tough time I was having. Burke being the leader of this trip, I naturally looked to him for some kind of advice. When he spoke to me his words hit me in the heart. I told him what I was sad about with my homesickness and feeling incompetent at carrying a canoe. He told me that strength was from your heart not your muscles and that when you live your life centered in your heart you will have strength to complete any task. Burke said, “ sadness is when you live your life in the past, live your days one at a time and with patience and your upset will disappear. Live in the present.” From that day on I took his advice to heart and since then I have not regretted a day of my life. The work that Burke did with me to make my first conquest to Canada the most memorable and life-changing event in my life, has stayed with me throughout my life. Burke was a man that was true to his word. His spontaneity inspired me to choose many things in my life that I would not have done if I did not live my life in the present. Burke was a true roel model and I looked up to him, as I am sure many did, as a big brother. I love Burke O’Brien and he stayed with me in my mind and will always be in my heart.

-Gabriel Krenza
Led by Burke O’Brien ‘98 and ‘99