Students, faculty mourn ‘14 alumnus Anton Gress

Anton Gress, a ‘14 theatre alumnus, died in a car crash Sept. 24 on I-25 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.

Bonnie Walker (left), an administrative assistant in the theatre department, and Anton Gress, who worked in her office during his time at Chapman. Photo courtesy of Bonnie Walker

Clara Avina, 44, of Santa Fe was driving southbound in a northbound lane when her vehicle collided with Gress’.

Students and faculty who knew Gress paint a picture of a lively, loving young man with a passion for music and nature.

Bonnie Walker, an administrative assistant in the department of theatre where Gress worked throughout college, said that Gress had been an employee since his freshman year and that she thought of him as “one of (her) children.”

“With Anton, he might not have been the best student, he might not have been the best office worker, but he was one of the best human beings I’ve ever known,” Walker said. “He did being human correctly – he was filled with love and light and he made everyone feel important. He knew what was important: just being good to one another. I think that’s why it doesn’t make any sense.”

Danielle Scullon, a senior philosophy major, met Gress when he was proctoring an audition at the theatre department during her
freshman year.

“He was the first person I ever met (at Chapman), he was so warm and welcoming,” Scullon said.

Caroline Hale, a senior theatre major, also met Gress her freshman year through Scullon, and was in a sorority meeting when she received a notification of Gress’ death.

“I don’t know how to explain it, I felt like an anvil had been dropped on my heart,” Hale said. “I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t think. I had to leave meeting. You feel like you’re going to be sick every time you think about it.”

Hale said that believing Gress is in a better place is what helps her cope with the tragedy of the accident.

“You can’t rationalize how somebody so good could leave this world in such a horrible way. What gets us through is believing that he’s somewhere that he can truly be himself, where he’s happy and he’s loved,” Hale said. “How do you put into words how much you hate someone? I feel nothing but hatred for (Avina). I won’t even honor them by saying their name.”

While Hale and Scullon feel it’s important to spread awareness against drinking and driving, both are firmly against the accident becoming the only thing that Gress is remembered for.

“It’s so important to spread the message to not drink and drive, but I don’t want that to be what he was remembered by,” Scullon said. “He would only want everyone to just love one another in the end. I don’t what him to be remembered by a drunk-driving accident.”

Hale agreed, sharing a quote that Gress’ father mentioned: “Even though that’s a crucial part of the conversation, that cannot sum up everything that he is,” Hale said.

“His dad was pointing to the Maya Angelou quote, ‘People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel’ – and Anton made me feel nothing but joy and happiness and love.”