Community Response
Immediately following Vincent’s death, the community responded in a way that was extraordinarily supportive—and humbling to anyone who observed it.
This includes the people and organizations of Hudson, Ohio; the students, families, faculty, and staff of Seton Catholic School; the clergy and parishioners of St. Mary Catholic Church, the Diocese of Cleveland, and beyond; and the broader networks in which the Baran family is connected: Villanova University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Cleveland State University, Kent State University, and the U.S. Navy, among others.
This page is meant to showcase some of that support, but cannot come close to capturing the thousands of prayers, thoughts, messages, and acts of kindness shown to the Baran family during this time.
If you have items you’d like for us to consider mentioning or displaying on this page, please contact us.
In particular, we’d love to see photos and videos from the Hudson community that will help us all remember the amazing way in which everyone responded to this tragedy during the weeks following Nov. 7, 2020.
A few of the amazing ways in which the community supported the Baran family after Vincent’s death include (but are not limited to) the following:
Hundreds upon hundreds of people reaching out via text, phone, cards, e-mails, and more.
Direct support with meals, errands, helping with details and arrangements along the way.
Hundreds of Hudson residents placed a candle outside their front doors for the week after Vincent’s death through the Sunday after his funeral.
Seamless coordination among the people of St. Mary Catholic Church, Johnson-Romito Funeral Home, and Seton Catholic School regarding the visitation (which was held at the school), the funeral, and much more.
The visitation at Seton Catholic School’s was beautiful, with luminaries from the school’s families lining the sidewalks and other outdoor areas and numerous floral arrangements in the school’s chapel where the visitation was held.
When the family returned home after Vincent’s visitation, their entire street and front yard was decorated with luminaries and candles. The same occurred in the neighborhood of Vincent’s maternal grandparents, who live nearby in Aurora, Ohio.
As noted in this article, after the funeral, numerous people from Seton Catholic School and others from the community lined the streets between the church and the cemetery.
A member of the community graciously offered her home and property for the Baran family to have a small gathering with family members and out-of-town friends after the Vincent’s interment. They arrived to find a full spread of catered food, beverages, and outdoor tables that allowed them to be together while following necessary health precautions.
American Fireworks put on a tremendous Ironman-themed fireworks display on the evening of Nov. 14 (the day of the funeral). One week before his death, Vincent had dressed up as Ironman for Halloween.
Friends from the Villanova University Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Class of 2002 (of which Vincent’s father, Ben, is a member) quickly raised considerable funds in Vincent’s memory. Villanova men’s basketball coach Jay Wright assisted with publicity of the effort, and numerous members of the Villanova community contributed—including Villanova President Fr. Peter Donohue. The Baran family used 100 percent of those funds to start The Vincent William Baran Charitable Fund, which Amy Jordan of the Hudson Community Foundation helped launch.
Alumni of Walsh Jesuit High School—from which Vincent’s mother, Lindsay, graduated—organized raising additional funds to support the construction of a path from the Baran family’s backyard into Markillie/St. Mary Cemetery, which is located directly behind their house and is where Vincent is buried.
And so much more.