Adam Kronk was a senior music education major entering his final semester here at Longwood. He was thoroughly involved in the music department from playing trumpet in the Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble, singing in Longwood’s flagship choral ensemble, the Camerata Singers, and belonging to the brotherhood of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (PMA) men’s music fraternity.
He was also a part of Audacity Brass Band - a New Orleans-style brass band comprised of Longwood students that performed throughout the Farmville and Longwood communities.
On Thursday, Aug. 17, Adam Kronk took his own life in his home in Henrico.
During his time at Longwood, he received help from the counseling center but when he was away, he could not afford mental health care, said Longwood alumna Roxanne Cook, Kronk's girlfriend of two years.
“He made me a better person and strive for kindness and change in the world every day," said Cook.
Though he struggled with depression, he made efforts to cope with it by striving to create a better world. He planned to continue sharing and passing on his art by becoming a teacher after graduating in the spring.
"He was the most kind and gentle, smart and charming person I've ever met. His vision for a better world inspires me and has inspired a lot of people since his death," said Cook.
Recognizing the role mental health played in Kronk's death, Cook has been vocal regarding the issue through social media. She said she hoped to raise awareness about the effects of depression while honoring Kronk's memory.
"Adam's pain caused him to lash out sometimes but he was the most kind and gentle person inside," said Cook. "He was there in Charlottesville, the day everything happened and the hate in the world triggered him. He never wanted to die because he felt lonely, because he knew he was loved and he was loved by many.”
Seeing the violence at the rally, Cook said he was overwhelmed by the hate expressed by those around him.
Several events in remembrance of Kronk have been held since his passing. In the evening on the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 21, Longwood's music department dedicated their annual First Night Faculty Gala to his memory.
Though his family decided to hold a private funeral, Cook organized a memorial for him on Aug. 26 in his hometown in Henrico. The service was held in Deep Run Park, coinciding with Kronk's love of nature.
According to the event’s Facebook page, donations were collected for Mental Health America with the message: “Together, we can make a better world. If (you) need to say goodbye and you play a instrument/sing, please honor his memory with your beautiful talents. Everyone who loved him should be together and say goodbye.”
Throughout the service, performances of songs and poetry such as the Foo Fighters’ “My Hero” and Mary Elizabeth Frye’s “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” were dedicated to Kronk’s memory ending the service with a song by one of his favorite bands, “Let it Be” by the Beatles, sung by all who attended the service.
Longwood also held a memorial on Aug. 29 in which multiple people from within the Lancer community spoke on Kronk's behalf, including President W. Taylor Reveley IV and Longwood jazz professor and director Dr. Charles Kinzer, and his PMA brothers dedicated a song in his memory.
Kinzer also spoke at the memorial, “We’ve lost a friend and an excellent student, and the world has lost a really fine and promising young person. We have missed him already and will continue to miss him this semester and beyond.”
Kronk and Kinzer worked closely together in all six of his semesters both as a classroom teacher and also as his director in the Jazz Ensemble.
“Adam led by his actions and I believe that all of our music teachers came to see him as I did, as a leader among our students because he earned a lot of respect in our department," said Kinzer. "He enjoyed a good laugh and was very quick with a kind word for others around him."
Kronk's brother-in-law Steven Outten started a GoFundMe to try to cover the student loans his family has to pay off.
"I am trying to raise funds to help his family, father and mother and sister, in this difficult time with his student loans and expenses to his memorial/memory," said Outten. "He was loved by so many and truly was a blessing and will always be remembered for his bright and creative personality."
Separately, Longwood's Audacity Brass Band is also selling tie-dye shirts - a type of shirt that Kronk often wore - as a fundraiser for Mental Health America.
"We have been quiet on here the past few days because we are still in shock and at a loss of words," said the group on their Facebook page. "We remember his passion for music and his love of performing we have so much we can't wait to share with you guys in his honor."
If you or someone you know may be showing signs of depression, contact Longwood University's Counseling and Professional Services at (434) 395-2409 or email here.
If in need of immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255, available 24 hours a day.
