O’Donnell was a scholar and star athlete
By Matt Chiappardi, Staff Writer
When Keith O’Donnell graduated from Peddie School in 2003, he unexpectedly gave his wrestling coach a gift.
Mr. O’Donnell tided John Leonardis a pewter mug engraved with the words, “May our friendship last a lifetime. This is only the beginning,” the coach said.
In an unfortunate turn, one of those lifetimes was cut short.
Mr. O’Donnell died from severe head injuries and a punctured lung he sustainedin the early morning hours of Aug. 8 after falling 30 feet to the bottom of one of the gorges on the Ithaca, N.Y., Campus of Cornell University, where he was a junior, said university spokesman Blaine Friedlander.
He succumbed to his injuries five days later at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y., he said. Mr. O’Donnell was 23 years old.
His aunt, Jennifer O’Donnell, of Erial, said Mr. O’Donnell was taking an approved path on the campus when his accident occurred, and Mr. Friedlander said there is no evidence of foul play.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident had not yet been completed, as of Tuesday, he added.
Mr. Leonardis, who had forged a deep friendship with Mr. O’Donnell even after both of their tenures at Peddie were finished, said he was devastated at the news.
”It’s an incredible shame, he was going to be the first college graduate in the O’Donnell family,” he said.
Mr. O’Donnell’s aunt could barely contain her grief as she spoke about him.
”He was a committed, hardworking and confident kid,” she said.
”He had a powerful personality, and left us a powerful memory,” she added.
Mr. O’Donnell was born and raised in Erial and spent his high school freshman year at Highland Regional High School in Blackwood.
Peddie awarded him an academic scholarship the next year, and he continued his prowess as a star athlete, both wrestling and playing football.
His dedication to wrestling and his teammates was so strong, his high school coach said, that he first declined Peddie’s scholarship offer.
”He wanted to win a championship for Highland Regional,” said Mr. Leonardis.
A phone call from Peddie’s director of admissions at the time changed Mr. O’Donnell’s mind, the coach said.
”From the day he came to Peddie, he busted his tail on the mat,” said Mr. Leonardis.
”He was one of our elites,” he added.
That talent was not only limited to athletic mats and fields but overflowed into the classroom as well.
”He elevated our program on the mat, and he was the quintessential student athlete,” said Mr. Leonardis.
”He applied himself in the classroom, and was successful. He was a diligent kid,” he added.
His football coach and English teacher at Peddie, Marty Mooney, agreed.
”Keith was one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached on the football field,” he said.
”At 180 pounds he’d play next to 6-foot-5, 295-pound guys who went on to play at the University of Tennessee. … I haven’t worked with many students who are as tough athletically and as thoughtful intellectually as Keith,” he said.
The accolades heaped onto Mr. O’Donnell are not limited to his teachers and coaches. His aunt remembers that when he was about 4 years old, Mr. O’Donnell took on a nurturing role while attending special classes for a speech impediment.
”He’d be helping all the handicapped kids at the school,” she said.
”If a ball would roll off their laps, he’d go and get it. He was concerned that way and that never changed,” she added.
Mr. O’Donnell went to Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, where he wrestled with the NCAA Division I Big Red, and continued his record of achievement on the mat and in the classroom, his aunt said.
”He does amazing things wrestling,” she said.
”But in reality, he’s a very gentle guy,” she added.
A major collegiate wrestling championship remained elusive for Mr. O’Donnell.
But that most likely wouldn’t have bothered him in the slightest, said his aunt.
”Keith had a saying he would tell younger wrestlers,” she said. “You have to lose first to learn how to win.”
To Mr. O’Donnell’s friends, family and mentors, winning was something he’d already learned to do.
Funeral services were held for Mr. O’Donnell in Camden County on Wednesday and Thursday.

