By Dale M. King
Officials at Boca Raton’s Lynn University have confirmed that the U.S. Department of State has notified the family of Christine Gianacaci that her body has been recovered from an earthquake-wrecked building in Haiti.
She was one of 12 students and two faculty members from the university who went to Haiti on an aid mission last month, just a day before an earthquake devastated the country. Christine was a sophomore from Hopewell, N.J.
Eight students returned to the university unharmed.
Earlier this week, the body of Courtney Hayes of Douglas, Ga., was located in the rubble of the Hotel Montana in Port-Au-Prince.
Still missing are students Britney Gengel, 19, of Rutland, Mass. and Stephanie Crispinelli, 19, of Katonah, N.Y., and faculty members Patrick Hartwick, 53, dean of the Ross College of Education; and Richard Bruno, 59, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Education.
Fourteen members of the Lynn community were in Haiti on a “Journey of Hope” service trip when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the island on Jan. 12.
“We are devastated to have lost Christine – a young woman who was a bright light in the life of her family, her friends, classmates and teachers,” said Lynn University President Kevin Ross.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with John and Jean, J.P., and the rest of the Gianacaci family, as well as Christine’s friends and the many other people who were touched by her life.”
In the meantime, a memorial service for Courtney Hayes will be held Saturday in Douglas, Ga. A private burial will be scheduled at a later date.