Friends, family mourn death of Norwich cadet Bret Muraco

By Kylee Dalmata
Norwich Guidon Asst. Campus Editor

Members of the Corps of Cadets are mourning the death of one of their own this past summer. Bret Anthony Muraco died August 9, 2002 in Hampton, NH.

Born on June 6, 1981 in Waterville, Minn., Bret Anthony Muraco lettered in track in high school, played basketball, and participated in indoor track. He was on the honor roll and was involved in Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. He lived in Hampton, NH.

"I found out; it was so surreal," said Dustin Cathcart, 21, an international studies and English major from Indianapolis, Ind. " I told a couple of rook buddies. It was so weird; five minutes later we were acting normal again. It hadn't set in, yet."

Muraco came to Norwich in 2000. A member of Delta Company, he held an Army ROTC Scholarship. He loved military history and liked to work out, have fun, listen to loud music, and play basketball, according to Cathcart.

"He was a typical young guy, into the guy stuff, the basics. Dancing, going out, he liked to be in front of people, entertaining. He liked to have fun," said Cathcart. "He wanted to be a tank platoon commander."

He is survived by his brother, Jared, his half brother, Bret, mother, Nancy Schlis, and father, Anthony Muraco.

"Freshman year made us real tight. Everyone has rook buddies they hang out with all the time; he was one of them," said Cathcart. "We still expect him to roll in one night. I saw him at the funeral; not everyone could. Those that didn't are having an even harder time with it."

The funeral was held on August 12, 2002 in Hampton, NH. While rook buddies served as pallbearers, family and many of those who had served as his cadre looked on. At the end of the service, those in uniform placed their white gloves on the coffin, according to Cathcart.

Echo taps played on campus during the first academic week in recognition of the loss.

"He was my best friend. We did everything together, and now he's gone," said Daniel Huffman, 20, a history major from Prattville, AL. "Not a moment goes by that I don't think about him. There isn't anything I do on campus that doesn't remind me of him. He was one of the main reasons I loved Norwich."

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