Levi Maciejewski’s life was honored on Tuesday, August 27 at a service held on the campus of Shippensburg University. Nearly 1,500 attendees filled the Luhrs Performing Arts Center for the service, with another 500 seated in the CUB MPR to honor Levi.
Levi, the teenage son of Shippensburg University head football coach Mark “Mac” Maciejewski, died unexpectedly on Aug. 20. No cause of death was disclosed.
Attendees entered the service receiving a memorial booklet with “Live Like Levi” listed on the front. That would be the theme of the evening, with the booklet saying “To Live Like Levi means to be bold and kind, to be confident and humble, to play hard with good sportsmanship, and to be honest and respectful. Have fun each day, and work hard at everything you do.”
The service was emceed by Father Ben Dunkelberger of the Catholic Campus Ministry. He began the evening with a prayer for Levi before reading some of Levi’s favorite Bible verses, explaining what they meant to Levi and how attendees can use them to honor him.
Levi’s youth football coach praised Levi’s competitiveness on the field but also his character, discussing how he was always supporting his teammates in every way. The coach also mentioned Levi’s relationships with the Raiders’ players, how they all loved him at practice.
Jack Johnson, a family friend, was the next tribute speaker. He and Levi were very close throughout his life, and Johnson shared some personal stories. These ranged from nights at the pool after baseball games to stealing a relative’s truck to make a Sheetz run.
The night’s final speaker was Holly Gardner, teacher at Grace B. Luhrs Elementary School. She discussed how we can all live by Levi’s characteristics before sharing a number of stories from various attendees. These covered many topics, but an overarching theme was how Levi left a positive impact on everyone he interacted with.
Dunkelberger thanked the attendees, said another prayer, and the service ended with Alan Jackson’s rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Levi’s music taste was heard throughout the event, with a blend of country music and AC/DC welcoming guests when they arrived, along with songs from Zach Bryan and others playing between speakers.
The service was just short of an hour overall, but still had a major impact on all attendees. It was an emotional evening for all involved, but there was some positivity throughout the service, with all knowing Levi was watching over them and left a great impact on this Earth.
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