The Endicott College community is preparing for a tough week ahead as students returned back to school Sunday following the death of Police Sgt. Jeremy Cole, the beloved mentor and protector who was killed early on Thanksgiving morning.
The 49-year-old father of father was driving home to Exeter, New Hampshire, from an evening shift on the school's campus in Beverly, Massachusetts, when his Chevrolet Trailbalzer was struck by a wrong-way Tesla driver on Interstate 95 in Newbury just after midnight Thursday. Cole was pronounced dead on scene, while the Tesla driver was flown to a trauma center with serious injuries.
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News about the tragedy traveled throughout the weekend, and students returned to campus facing heartache after Thanksgiving break.
"Sergeant Cole was very inspirational," senior KyRon Parker said. "He walked students through everything. He helped them out."
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Cole spent 15 years at Endicott, and it's evident that he was more than just a police sergeant on campus, but also a mentor and friend who has made an impact on students, faculty, and alumni. He also saved the life of a softball coach in 2021.
Sunday, students were showing up at the school's Center for Belonging to light candles in honor of Sgt. Cole. Many also wrote letters to his family, expressing their condolences.
One student who graduated nine years ago said she felt compelled to come to campus and pay her respects.
"He taught defense courses for women on campus and had just such a big presence on campus, and he was just so sarcastic and funny. He was just a great guy," alumni Erin Ward said. "This has been really, really tough for everyone involved because it is impacted alumni, students, the community, and it is a loss and I feel so bad for his family."
"Even though his life was cut so short, he had such an impact on all of us that you just have to enjoy every moment."
Endicott's president, Dr. Steven DiSalvo, tells NBC10 Boston that Sgt. Cole was truly loved by all and will be missed dearly. He was kind, would always attend campus events and would talk to students about life's struggles.
"If we want to be good human beings, we're gonna do it just the way J. Cole did. Just being good to other people," DiSalvo said.
There will be more activities throughout the week planned in honor of Sgt. Cole as the campus community navigates this healing process.
