Catholic studies and philosophy major Reed Flood was chosen to be the undergraduate student speaker at this year’s commencement ceremony.

Through experiences of pain and loss, Flood has found love through vulnerability, and is humbled by the opportunity to address the graduating class.

“The title of the speech is ‘Beauty Amidst Suffering,’ and this comes from a personal experience of mine, that was in losing my best friend Erik Nielsen, to a brain aneurysm,” Flood said.

In December 2014 during his sophomore year, Nielsen was on campus when he suffered from a brain aneurysm and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. He was later declared to be brain-dead.

“Anyone who knew him would comment on his smile; he had a peaceful presence, but he was witty, and that’s what I really liked about him,” Flood said.

Flood found healing when he attended an eight-day silent retreat following the loss of his friend.

“That experience brought me to depths in myself that I had never encountered before, and that was really difficult, but it was actually really beautiful too,” Flood said.

The passing of Nielsen not only affected his close friends and family but the entire campus.

“I learned that it’s difficult to have good close relationships with people because there’s always that lingering reality that you could lose them in one way, some form or another, but that shouldn’t be an obstacle to loving that person,” Flood said.

Now, Flood has the honor of sharing his story and experience with his fellow classmates.

“From the experience of losing Erik, I’ve grown to have such strong friendships here,” Flood said. “Now as we all prepare to go off and graduate and start our new lives and families I have this opportunity to let these people know I absolutely love them, and that blows me away every time.”

Lauren Knisley can be reached at knis1243@stthomas.edu.