“Don’t get mad, get wiggly!”

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During my junior year, my friend Andrew dated one of Suise’s friends, so I hung out at Susie’s house with them often. Soon after, I started dating a girl named Stephanie and at one point, she went away for a month to camp. While she was away I missed her more than words could describe, but while at Susie’s house I was not allowed to be upset.

No, the minute Susie saw that I began to miss Stephanie, she would say in the most high pitched voice, “don’t get mad, get wiggly!” and grab my arms and flail them about and dance.

Although this may seem like a small thing, ever since that day Susie has taught me how not to let things upset me, and when I start to feel down or upset, to “get wiggly.” Sometimes when I look back at that memory, I can still hear her voice say it in that upbeat and bubbly way, and I just want to thank Susie for teaching not just me, because I’m almost positive she has had this effect on everyone, that when we feel down or out, to not get sad but “get wiggly.”

-Steven Idtensohn

“I know that she is up there looking down on us and is with all of us, and she always will be.”

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Susie was such a sweet girl – full of life, full of happiness and laughter. All I can remember are the days when we had Singing Santas and she would always be smiling and having fun. She kept everyone alive and motivated. I didn’t know her as well as most, but well enough to know that it will be hard for all including myself to move on so quickly.

I am still in shock and disbelief that something like that happened to such a happy and healthy young girl. It makes you constantly ask why. Still, I know that she is up there looking down on us and is with all of us, and she always will be. We will all see her again someday. I guess that’s how we have to look at it. Very sad indeed, but we must all be strong for each other.  Rest easy Susie, you are loved by all and will be missed. See you again someday.

-Thomas Baldwin, Jr.

“I think we bought 5 of them, planning on having some crazy, fat, party-for-2 later that night.”

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The first time I met Susie I was floored by her willingness to take me in as family.

The first night I slept at the Facini household, I found Susie carting extra towels and blankets into my room. She offered to let me use her hair straightener, her hairbrush, you name it… a real “you-need-it-we-got-it” attitude. I couldn’t rave about her enough to my parents: Andy’s sister is such a sweetheart; I couldn’t believe how sweet she was, fixing up my room as if we were best friends having a sleepover.

That weekend, I became Susie’s first passenger with her newly acquired driver’s license. We drove to Waldbaum’s, where she knew exactly 100 percent of the staff, and bought Choco-Tacos – which I’d never had before. I think we bought 5 of them, planning on having some crazy, fat, party-for-2 later that night.
Between the first time I met Susie and the last time I saw her at Stony Brook, I could not tell you any differences in that attitude. She and I were fast friends and I attribute all of that to her beautiful spirit.

-Angela Latona