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10/01/2015 01:46 PMLast night, Branford High School and Penn State University did their best to light up the sky for Tally Sepot with crowded candlelight vigils.
Surrounded by a crowd of 400 students, family, friends and BHS community members on the BHS turf, Tally's family listened as close friends and BHS 2014 classmates Maxine Hernandez, Emily Johnson and Jenny Royka shared memories and music. Meanwhile, in State College, students also gathered en masse for a vigil in honor of Tally, a Penn State sophomore.
"At the same time we're here; 3,000-plus students at Penn State, Tally's second-favorite place in the world next to the Thimbles, are doing the same thing as us," Royka told the Branford crowd.
She shared a note sent earlier in the day from Tally's friends at Penn State.
"Thank you so much for sharing your Tally with us for the past two years. We wish we could be there with you celebrating her life tonight, but we're honoring her here at State College because she was loved just as much here as she was at home. Light up the sky for her. Sending lots of love from State College."
In Branford, the day's heavy rains subsided in time for the 8 p.m. vigil, but a brisk breeze had candles flickering at BHS.
"Thank you all for being here tonight," Johnson said. "I know the weather's not ideal – this just like Tally. We try to be nice people for once and hold a candle light vigil, and you make it rain all day. I should be mad but instead I just want to say thank you for letting me know you're still here with us."
Set to a music mix playing for the arriving crowd and a live performance of John Lennon's "Imagine" sung by BHS Concert Choir in the stands, the stories shared by a handful of Tally's close friends created an atmosphere of warmth and even brought some laughter.
Christina Smith imparted some fun recollections of swimming with Tally at Pine Orchard Club in the summer and on the BHS varsity team. Johnson and other friends, including Max Fillion and Alex King, each shared stories that evoked the joy with which Tally lived her life.
The Sepot family was also gifted with dozens more personal recollections of Tally, from vigil goers who took the opportunity to write down their memory on cards provided at the vigil. Attendees also contributed over $400 to be given to the family.
"This night was a lot happier and a celebration," said Hernandez. "It was a great turn out. It shows how many lives that Tally touched."