A few weeks ago I sat down at my computer to write 400 or so words on a student passing away. Every word in that column felt like pulling teeth. Writing on someone’s death, even more the death of another student, was not something I wanted to do anytime soon.

This past Friday at around 3 p.m., Georgia Southern University student Brooke Edwards, 19, was discovered and found to be unresponsive, and later deemed deceased at Greenbriar Apartments.

This is what has been officially confirmed by the Stateboro Police Department, the Bulloch County Coroner’s Office and Georgia Southern University.

Though the circumstances, known and unknown, of the two situations are are not in any way comparable, some of what I saw happening three weeks ago is happening again now.

As tempting as it is to play the “what happened?” game, it’s best that we stay away from it. What we know is a fellow student has passed away. Speculating on details that are unconfirmed, unofficial and most of all unwarranted is not something we, as a campus community, ought to be engaging in.

Like me, you may not have known Brooke Edwards at all. But it’s important to remember that she, like you and I, was someone’s friend, child, mentor, coworker, sister or whatever else.

With that said, let’s respect those people who are now in mourning, not taint their friend’s name with rumors.

Discussions about Brooke Edwards should begin and end with remembering her, respecting her and her family’s right to privacy and honoring a fallen eagle.