Dear Siena Community,
We prayed desperately for a miracle, but the injuries Coach Liam Gleason suffered during a fall at his home on Sunday proved fatal. I am heartbroken to share the news of his passing.
A sudden, senseless loss carries a kind of pain that defies understanding. I don’t know why a young, healthy father was taken from his family just before the holidays, and I can’t imagine the bottomless depth of their grief. What I do know, and what I want all of you to know and to remember, is that our community was blessed by Coach Gleason’s life.
Liam was a tremendous lacrosse coach, and his many professional accomplishments, including last year’s MAAC championship, speak to his talent and leadership. But wins and titles are only a small part of his legacy. What mattered most to Liam was family: his wife, Jaclyn, and their children – Kennedy, Penn, and Tate – and everyone he coached, mentored, and loved at Siena.
Family was the team’s mantra. It’s what they said when they broke the huddle. It was the word written on their shirts. Liam treated every student-athlete like a son, and he treated every alumnus, colleague, and Saint like a brother or sister. For seven years, he led a program that made our community proud, and he drew families to Siena not simply for athletics, but for the chance to place their sons in the care of a man who would mentor them in life, not just in lacrosse.
On Saturday, December 6 at 11:00 A.M., we will hold a funeral service for Liam in the UHY Center. All community members are invited to attend and pay their respects. Please also hold Liam’s wife and their three children in your hearts and let them feel the unwavering support of the Siena family in the difficult days ahead, and always.
I also want to remind you that support is available to all Saints. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Public Safety at 518-783-2999 to access any of these services or use the direct contact information below:
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Siena Counseling Center, Foy Hall 110, 518-783-2342 (on-call counselor available to students), contact Public Safety after hours
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Friar-in-Residence
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Student Life & Community Living
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Siena employees may access support 24/7 through our Employee Assistance Program by calling 888-293-6948
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If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
In our despair, let’s depend on one another and hold one another up. As a Siena family, let’s honor Liam in the way he lived — with love, commitment, and family at the center of all things.
Peace and all good,
Chuck