University of Delaware students and community members came together Sunday morning to remember a late fraternity brother and raise money in his honor.
The James Joseph Hahn Memorial 5K drew more than 500 participants and raised nearly $27,000, according to Connor Nevins, president of Pi Kappa Alpha.
“The guys who knew him, they have nothing but amazing things to say about him,” Nevins said. “For us not to do an event in his name, we just thought we’d be doing him a disservice.”
A resident of Wilmington, Hahn graduated from Delaware Military Academy, where he played baseball and football.
In 2020, he delayed his admission to UD and joined the Delaware National Guard. He did basic training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma City and then spent time at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, learning to operate heavy equipment for his Newark-based engineering unit.
Hahn then enrolled at UD, majoring in finance. Shortly after completing his sophomore year, he took his own life at the age of 21 in June 2023.
This is the second year his fraternity brothers have held a 5K in his memory. The proceeds benefited the Anthony Penna Charitable Fund, a Delaware nonprofit that helps students offset the costs and fees associated with participation in band, choir and theater.
In collaboration with Hahn’s family, the fraternity chose that charity because of Hahn’s love of music, Nevins said.
This year, the fraternity also sponsored a mental health event that drew more than 400 people to learn about suicide prevention.
Nevins said it’s an important topic, adding that several UD students have taken their own lives over the past few years.
“It just keeps happening over and over again,” he said. “We just want to be the ones who are finally doing something about it.”
Riley Flanagan, vice president of Pi Kappa Alpha, said he hopes the events help other students in need.
“I just hope it will help people speak up and use the resources available like Sean’s House,” Flanagan said. “We hope people use the resources that are available and talk because no matter how severe it is, everyone deserves to talk about it.”
