Candlelit Vigil Remembers Transgender Individual Sam Nordquist
A large crowd poured into Canandaigua, remembering and paying tribute to Sam Nordquist, a transgender individual from Minnesota, whose remains were discovered in Yates County a week ago. The memorial service for Nordquist was planned by the Family Counseling of the Finger Lakes.
The event took place at the Wood Library, with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canandaigua providing additional space to accommodate the throng of mourners. The church offered a place for mourners to attend the service virtually through a Zoom broadcast.
Over 220 individuals marked their presence across the two venues, manifesting the local community’s strong support. Among the attendees was Mimi Weicher, a 16-year-old teenager from Batavia, who journeyed more than 50 miles to offer her condolences.
In her poignant words, ‘Deaths occur every day, yet this one holds a more profound significance. Someone suffered an unimaginably cruel ordeal… no one should face their end simply because of their gender identity,’ she voiced.
During the ceremony, Pastor Eileen Casey-Campbell underscored the need for solidarity and unity. Viewing the assembly of people from the queer community in Finger Lakes, she expressed her joy and mentioned, ‘Witnessing the unity of queer community in Finger Lakes is truly uplifting.’
She also highlighted the dire emotional requirements at present, ‘The emotional requirements of our community are substantially high in these trying times.’
In the crowd was Danni Scott, a trans man like Nordquist, who shared his brief but meaningful interactions with the fallen individual. ‘I would like his family to be aware that there were moments when Sam was… He was content,’ conveyed Scott.
He also shared insights into his own personal journey concerning his identity. ‘Until Sam’s demise, I was quite reserved about being a transgender man; however, seeing Sam’s journey inspires me to embrace openness,’ Scott revealed.
Most importantly, he underscored that: ‘Sam’s existence was important. If we were to label any crime as being borne out of hatred and prejudice, this should be the one,’ he added, hinting at the potential motive for Nordquist’s untimely death.
Contrary to this, the investigations led by New York State Police and the Ontario County District Attorney currently don’t support the notion that Nordquist’s tragic passing was a result of hate crime.