Christopher O’Brien:
David’s rela-
tionship with Canisius was definitely
a two way street. While David greatly
enjoyed his four years and the educa-
tion that he received, I think Canisius
enjoyed David’s exploits after he left
as he truly became a man for others.
When David was at Canisius, he be-
gan to get involved in the interests of
the needy. He was the organizer of the
annual food drive during his senior
year, an experience that I think funda-
mentally changed him.
Paul Cumbo:
There’s a strong legacy
at Canisius around David. For instance,
David’s Dinner for Famine Relief was an
annual event at Canisius to remind par-
ticipants of those who go hungry in the
world each night and to fan the flames
of volunteerism that David’s life and ex-
ample left. At every table a single person
received a full dinner, while the rest ate
a small, partial meal, a reminder that
although many may not see or experi-
ence hunger first-hand, a large portion
of the world population goes hungry ev-
ery day.
CO:
When my brother arrived at
Dartmouth College, he realized there
was no outreach program. He orga-
nized a new group called Students
Fighting Hunger, to give Dartmouth
college students achance toparticipate
in reaching out to the less fortunate.
Following his years at Dartmouth,
David obtained a double master’s de-
gree in public policy and nutrition
from Tuffs University. He also spent
a year in Africa working for CARE in
the Sudan. David learned the effects of
poverty first-hand during this experi-
ence as hewitnessed villages that were
once affluent that had had their crops
and villages burned because theywere
too friendly to either the rebels or to
the government.
David’s goal had always been to dis-
cover a way to cure famine. Searching
for this goal led him to a Rotary
Ambassador Scholarship to study in
Late Alumnus’s Life of Service
Inspires Today’s Compañeros
David O’Brien ‘87 was surely the epitome of a “man for others.” His life of service began at Canisius, grew after col-
lege and later blossomed in countries as far flung as Sudan and India. O’Brien’s untimely passing did not, however,
dim his light, as the following reminiscences of O’Brien’s brother Christopher’81, a notedWestern New York attor-
ney, and English teacher and director of the Companions/Compañeros service program Paul Cumbo ‘97 illustrate.
24
Canisius High School Today
Below: Christopher O’Brien (left) and nephew Patrick Burns at Puente Davide, LaNorita, Dominican Republic