Dear Karen Deighan and David Skelding,

As a parent of a son in his late twenties, I can’t imagine the loss and grief you are experiencing, especially when you have lost such an exceptional child. I had written a brief note of condolence, and Kim Trucco, who reached out to me, has asked me if I might elaborate on those remarks. I am happy to do so

Conor’s death struck my colleagues hard. Though we disagree on a lot of things, we were united in feeling the blow of the unexpected death of a former student we really cherished and admired.

As a rule, I try to discourage students from taking more than one class with me; in 40 years of teaching I’ve only admitted two students into three of my classes, and one of those was Conor, for the simple reason that he was a great kid to have in the room–just full of life, and enthusiasm, and excitement for whatever we might be discussing in that day’s class. One of the things I admired most about Conor was his ability to take, and build on, constructive criticism. Early on it was clear that writing would be a part of his life, so I put as much pressure as I could on him to up his game, write with the pressure I knew he was capable of. He took that criticism as it was intended, and became, over time, a better and better thinker and writer.

He would write to me periodically after he graduated, and I always enjoyed those exchanges–excitedly sharing one of his early pieces as a reporter for Capital New York back in 2015, or a piece in 2017 on the Pantaleo records for Politico. In 2020 he sent me a piece that ran in American Affairs , with a characteristic Conor line–”Please let me know how I can improve and what you think. It’s a start.” That line embodied his great virtues: modesty, curiosity, a desire to improve, a sense that every effort was a start.

It deeply saddens me that I will no longer get Conor’s periodic updates, no longer feel the rush of his excitement at another scoop or review, no longer get to watch his career’s upward trajectory from afar.

My condolences again on your great loss. I can only assure you that Conor will live on in the memory of many.

Sincerely, James Shapiro Professor of English, Columbia University