Craig Ardry and Chris Gelineau shared many fates. They both lived in Maine, were both at one point USM students and both served in the National Guard. Unfortunately, they both also rode in the lead Humvee that caught the brunt of an anti-American ambush in Iraq last Tuesday morning.
Following that incident, their fates diverged. Gelineau was in the passenger seat when a homemade bomb exploded on the roadside in Mosul and lost his life while the driver, Ardry, survived with a broken leg.
With Gelineau’s death and Ardry’s injuries, the effects of war have crept across USM’s borders unsettling the community.
The University is offering support to the community. In an email sent out Thursday morning, President Pattenaude reached out to the “USM Family” addressing the loss. “This is heartbreaking news for all of us,” he wrote. He also added the family of Gelineau’s wife is asking people not to contact her during this difficult time.
Gelineau and his wife Lavinia met as students at USM and married in April 2002. Gelineau would have graduated with a degree from the school of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (ASET) after one more semester of classes.
After attending USM for nearly four years, he gained the respect and praise of many ASET professors.
“With his unceasing curiosity and commitment to find out the latest information, he was a leader among his classmates,” said Associate Research Professor Glenn Wilson.
Robert Nannay, another professor of Gelineau’s, described Gelineau as an “excellent student” to the Portland Press Herald.
ASET student Jamie Andrews also thought highly of Gelineau.
“Chris was a good classmate and friend. [He] seemed to bring a new idea to us within the IT department and was always willing to defend it,” Andrews said.
The University plans on holding a memorial for Gelineau but is waiting until the family secures a date for their own services.
Christy McKinnon can be contacted at [email protected]