Student leader dies of cancer

Fluhart was involved in many campus organizations including MSA, Peer Rape Educators and STRIPES.

By Jenna Youngs

Published Sept. 2, 2005

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Andy Fluhart cared about serving MU students and wasn't afraid to put their needs before his own, even through two bouts of cancer.

"He was still planning up until the last day," his mother, Dana Reimer, said. "He told me I'd have to reschedule a few meetings for him. Even on that last day, Mizzou was spoken about a few times."

Mr. Fluhart died Tuesday night from complications of Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer that begins in bone tissue. He was 23.

While running for Missouri Students Association president last fall, Mr. Fluhart was diagnosed with a relapse of the disease. After dropping out of the race, he continued to serve as the president of Omicron Delta Kappa — a Tap Day honorary society —and was named to Homecoming Royalty. He helped organize Givestrong-a-thon in February, which raised $3,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and also was involved with the peer rape educators, STRIPES, Summer Welcome and the MSA Senate.

"He had an extreme love for MU, more than any other person I've ever met," said Jackie Cook-Eberle, Mr. Fluhart's running mate for MSA's executive office. "He got me excited, and he really cared about this university. He had a significant presence on campus."

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs said Mr. Fluhart never thought about himself — he thought about how to help students.

"I think he really believed student government should serve students," Scroggs said. "He believed people in leadership should be more interested in serving students than building their résumés or getting headlines or being about self-promotion. I'll always think of him as a guy who really, really wanted to make a difference and cared about what students wanted and needed."

Former STRIPES Director Melanie Lambert said Mr. Fluhart encouraged her to get involved with the organization when it was being formed in October 2001.

"Even when he was sick, he would come in and help out with STRIPES," she said. "He was really active in it because he was there when it started, and it was very important to him."

Jordan Hoyt, who was a peer rape educator with Mr. Fluhart, said he counseled her after she learned her 7-year-old cousin had leukemia.

"Even after he was diagnosed for a second time and had his own personal issues to deal with, I could still go to him and talk about my family," she said. "That really was a testament to his character. He was always thinking of other people."

Visitation services for Mr. Fluhart will be held Sunday in Carrollton, Mo., and the funeral will be held Monday.

In lieu of flowers, Mr. Fluhart's family has requested donations be sent to the Andy Fluhart Scholarship Fund, care of the First National Bank of Carrollton.

"It makes you think, 'I could have done more,' or 'I wish I could have stayed longer,'" Cook-Eberle said about her last few visits with Mr. Fluhart. "But you know Andy wouldn't have wanted that. It makes me value his friendship and makes me proud of the times I had and the things he's let me be a part of. Through him I've been able to be a part of a change on campus, and I think that's the same for anyone who had contact with Andy."

Lambert said Mr. Fluhart was rare because he was someone who cared about the university and made every effort to do as much as possible.

"He's been a great asset to the university, and he's been involved with everything," she said. "I don't know anybody who's been more involved in service than him. He genuinely cared about people and how they were doing, and that's hard to find. Live life — that's what he did even when he was sick. He wasn't afraid."