Family and friends were important aspects of Kirk Moninger’s life, and he relied heavily on them through his sophomore year of high school, as he was recovering from a critical car crash that injured him in October 1999. Family visited daily, and it was not uncommon for up to 15 friends to be “hanging out” with Kirk on a Sunday afternoon at the Harmarville Rehabilitation Center.
Kirk, an avid golfer, was well-liked by his peers, and excelled in school. He was very proud of the fact that he was a member of the National Honor Society. Equally, he loved playing on the Trinity Varsity Golf and Varsity Lacrosse teams. One of his favorite activities was golfing with his father, Mark, and shooting pool with his cousins.
The years following the accident proved to be very difficult for both Kirk and his family. Twice, Kirk’s parents were told their son, who had slipped into a coma, was not expected to live. As evidence of his tremendous determination, Kirk overcame the odds against him and was released from Harmarville in March 2000. But there were still scars, physical as well as emotional.
Sadly, Kirk took his own life on April 2, 2002. Once again family and friends consoled each other. It was a family member who initiated the Kirk C. Moninger Fund with the WCCF to help loved ones deal with their loss and to take comfort in the knowledge that Kirk would not be forgotten.
Appropriately, the fund will provide an annual scholarship to a graduating member of the Trinity Lacrosse team who is also a member of the National Honor Society.