BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott College will host a community gathering on Monday in honor of fallen campus police sergeant Jeremy Cole, who lost his life in a crash involving a wrong-way driver early Thanksgiving morning.
In a letter to the college community, Endicott President Steven R. DiSalvo said Cole, 49, of Exeter, New Hampshire, had been a “beloved and dedicated” member of our Campus Public Safety and Police Department for the past 15 years.
“Jeremy was an integral part of the Endicott family, and his impact on our community will be felt for years to come,” DiSalvo stated in the letter. “Beyond his professional contributions, Jeremy was a kind and compassionate individual, deeply committed to his family and our campus.”
Cole was headed home from the college’s Beverly campus when a wrong-way driver in a Tesla struck his Chevrolet Trailblazer on Interstate 95 in Newbury, according to Massachusetts State Police.
The Tesla driver, a man in his 40s from southeastern Massachusetts, was flown to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. He is expected to face charges that will be announced at a later time.
Cole is survived by his wife, Laura, their four children, and his parents, Richard and Brenda. DiSalvo said he was recently honored for saving the life of the college’s assistant softball coach David Bettencourt.
In 2021, the Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators presented Cole with the “Lifesaving Award” for rushing to the aid of Bettencourt, who went into cardiac arrest on campus.
“This act of bravery was just one example of the selflessness and care that defined Jeremy’s service to Endicott,” DiSalvo said of Cole.
The veteran sergeant is also being remembered for his genuine kindness, warm sense of humor, and for serving as the college’s “consummate student-focused representative.”
“Cole was the consummate student-focused representative of the Endicott community. I witnessed his interactions with students at athletics events, in the dining hall, at open house events, and during his everyday duties on campus,” DiSalvo added. He was loved and respected by all at the Nest.”
DiSalvo said Student Affairs staff will be available to offer support for students returning to campus on Sunday between noon and 4 p.m. in the Lower Callahan building. Counselors will be available to students in the Wellness Center beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday.
DiSalvo has also invited students and faculty to a community to gather in the Center for Belonging at 9 a.m. on Monday for coffee, tea, and pastries to process the “tragic loss” of Cole.
Students who knew Cole have since launched a GoFundMe in support of his family. It has raised more than $60,000.
“I didn’t think it was real when I first saw it,” said Ben Fridlington, a student at Endicott. “It’s not going to ever be the same without him there.”
State police detectives assigned to the Essex District Attorney’s Office are leading an investigation into the crash.
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