Ever since the news began surfacing that local athlete and Navy lacrosse star Brendan Looney was among those killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan this week, those who knew him have been sharing their memories of him and condolences for the Looney family.
On Facebook, hundreds of posts by friends and acquaintances convey thoughts and prayers for the Looney family. Those who knew him from his days at the Naval Academy and DeMatha Catholic High School say Looney was someone not easily forgotten. In fact, the whole family (Brendan had two brothers and three sisters) made a mark in the community.
“Everybody knows who the Looneys are,” said former DeMatha teammate Jamaal Clark. “They’re a great group of people — willing to help anybody.”
Navy classmate Kristin Murdock said Looney made the ultimate sacrifice — something every Navy graduate thinks about.
“He’s the type of person where he knew he was doing it for the utmost honor and utmost respect for his nation and military,” she said. “No one ever goes into it thinking, ‘This is never going to be a hardship, it’s never going to be a sacrifice.’”
