West Chester University student’s fraternity brothers honor him in run for organ donation

Garrett Nicholas, 21, will never get to graduate West Chester University, build a career, or have his own family, but his life is ensuring others are granted that opportunity.

Nicholas, a business management student, was walking on the 300 block of South High Street on April 12 when a car struck and killed him.

He was taken to Paoli Hospital. But, with no hope of recovery, his desire in life to be an organ donor was recognized, according to the Gift of Life Transplant Foundation.

Nicholas’ organs gave three people a second chance at life, the foundation said. And, his tissue is set to help heal up to 100 others, according to the foundation, a nonprofit federally designated organ donation and transplant network that serves eastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, and Delaware.

“He was pure love and happiness, had a smile that can light up a room and just wanted people to be laughing all the time,” said Ryan Gorman, Nicholas’ fraternity brother. “Words will never do justice.”

Two weeks after the incident, Nicolas’ Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers are honoring his decision by running a 10k in the Philadelphia Navy Yard for the 29th annual Gift of Life Donor Dash.

The donor dash promotes organ donation, celebrates the lives of donors, helps grow the donor registry, and raises funds for the Gift of Life Transplant Foundation.

An estimated 15,000 people were expected to participate in the donor dash.

“Garrett and his family show us how compassion can light the way forward during the most difficult times,” said Richard D. Hasz Jr., president of the Gift of Life Transplant Foundation and the donor program.

Having never run a 10k before, Gorman signed up —along with over 35 West Chester University Pi Kappa Alpha brothers — to run in Nicholas’ memory.

The pair met in 2024, during Nicholas’ fraternity rush and quickly became friends. Still processing his grief, Gorman has spent all week training and trying to let the pride he feels for his friend be greater than the pain.

“I am going to smile through everything, come out with the widest grin on my face, and just support,” Gorman said.

The senior can’t help but miss his friend, and he is not the only one.

Dane Hagen also met Nicholas during rush, and he grew to be one of his best friends, spending countless hours at the gym, hanging out at the fraternity house, doing homework, watching Eagles games, and cooking dinner together.

“He had this infectious giggle, nothing even had to be funny, he would just look at you and giggle,” Hagen said. “He never had a bad day, and that wasn’t because he had a perfect life: It was because he loved living.”

Hagen has never done a race like this before, but being in the company of his fraternity brothers has helped him find solace and keep busy, he said.

Remembering Nicholas’ gift of life has made him want to push through, not only for the race but to have a life led by the kindness his friend showed to the world.

“We can honor Garrett by living a little bit more like he did,” Hagen said. “Be there for your friends, laugh a little bit louder, show up for people, and enjoy the moments you have because you never know when is going to be your last moment.”