“He was a beautiful, chaotic ball of sunshine,” said Conor’s mother, Susana Prince-Rivera. “He walked into a room and you felt it.”

Conor is no longer physically with his classmates, friends and family, but his impact can still be felt. Like his mother said at his funeral, “Conor is still here, not in the way we long for, not in the way our arms ache for, but in ways that are very real.”

The Silver Creek athletics and performing arts booster clubs took those words to heart. The school community is working together in a very real, practical way to pay tribute to Conor’s legacy for years to come.

On Sunday, June 21, the Conor Prince-Rivera Memorial Run will be at the Silver Creek school track from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In recognition of his 18 years of life, guests are encouraged to run, walk, or relay 18 laps around the track. There will be lunch and lawn games at the event provided by the boosters, and custom t-shirts will be sold as funds are raised to help the district purchase instruments for the school band.

Conor Prince-Rivera was president of the school band and served as First Chair as trumpet.

Conor was an 18-year-old senior at Silver Creek High School at the time of his death. As an athlete, he participated in track and field at Silver Creek. It gave him an outlet to release his competitive nature that showed itself in nearly everything he did.

He also was deeply passionate about music, playing both the piano and trumpet. He performed as First Chair on trumpet and was president of the school band, not only demonstrating his talent, but also his leadership of his fellow musicians.

Conor wasn’t just First Chair on trumpet for the district, but also at the countywide festival held at the Chautauqua Institution. He performed at the Chautauqua County Music Teachers Association and the New York State School Music Association competitions. He was such a talented musician that judges believed he was classically trained.

“We want to spread his love of music to future students,” said Melissa Shaw, event organizer. “We’re remembering him and what a wonderful person he was.”

In the months after Conor’s sudden passing, the school community has made a point of honoring his memory. Everyone from Conor’s friends to people he never met have reached out to his family with support and ideas on how to highlight who he was.

Conor Prince-Rivera was a track and field athlete at Silver Creek High School.

“The school has been absolutely phenomenal. Thank you isn’t even enough. What everybody has been doing has genuinely given me the strength to get through things,” said Susana Prince-Rivera. “Everybody has gone above and beyond to express how much Conor meant to them.”

A song was dedicated to Conor at the school’s band concert; a class made bracelets for his family and friends; and his locker was kept open including a box to collect notes for his family.

“Every step of the way, they made it a point to include him and acknowledge him,” Susana Prince-Rivera said. She added, “I mourn for everybody who knew him, and all the people that will never get to meet him.”

The Conor Prince-Rivera Memorial Run will be on Conor’s birthday, which falls on Father’s Day this year. The event was designed to give the school community a chance to come together and remember Conor in a space set aside for him.

“We were looking for a way to help the kids deal with the tragic loss, and give them something positive to funnel their feelings and energy into,” Shaw said.

By raising funds for new instruments, Conor’s legacy will be carried on by the next generation of Silver Creek musicians. For those who want to help support the cause, but are not available to participate in person, Shaw launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the instruments the district is seeking.

The district is in need of several instruments to support the band Conor once led, including a trumpet, trombone, euphonium, and alto saxophone. Together, the four instruments are estimated at $9,368, including $1,823 for a trumpet. The fundraiser set a goal of $5,000. A month before the event itself, more than $2,200 had been raised and an instrument was donated in his honor.

Shaw is a teacher aide at the school and a district parent. Both of her daughters were close with Conor. Molly Shaw, a junior, was classmates with Conor, and they both competed in track and field.

“When he walked in class he would light up the room,” Molly Shaw said of Conor. “He was always joking around. He was so funny, and he was always very supportive.”

Conor was described as a “perfectionist by nature, never allowing himself to accept just good enough.” He was a dedicated athlete and a talented musician who would often check in with his friends to see how they were doing. Through the district’s fundraising efforts and the Memorial Run in his name, there is no more perfect way to remember who Conor was.

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/instruments-for-silver-creek-in-conors-memory