Ross Mullooly had a distinct passion for everything in life.  
The former Nicholls student reached the end of his battle with colorectal cancer on Sunday when he passed away at his family’s home in Houma.
He arrived at Nicholls in the fall of 2009 and made a commitment to get involved with campus life.  Along with his dedication to schoolwork, he was involved with Nicholls athletics, the Student Government Association, Orientation Team, the University Honors Program and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.   
“Ross loved Nicholls,” James Mullooly, Ross’s father, said.  “He wanted to be involved in campus life and show people what Nicholls had to offer.”   
Laurie LaRose, assistant director of admissions, said Mullooly was an amazing orientation leader who brought humor to the orientation program.  
“He touched a ton of lives in his time here,” LaRose said.  “He really did care about helping students as an orientation leader.”  
Ross also joined the Nicholls men’s cross-country team during his freshman year and achieved a career-best 8K time of 28:50 in the Southland Conference Championships.  
Casey Keiser, history senior from Metairie, said Ross was more than a teammate; he was also a caring friend.  Keiser said he had the honor of being Ross’ teammate during his time at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma and at Nicholls.  
“Ross was one of the first to welcome me onto the team.  Being his teammate at both schools, we put in a lot of miles when it came to training.  While on those long runs you tend to turn from teammates to friends,” Keiser said.  “Because he did have such a strong heart, he was always willing to drop what he was doing to help someone out.”  
Tyler Folse, 2012 University graduate, said Mullooly was selfless, and it is apparent by what he has done for people over the past few years.  
“He always had a special way of dealing with people and situations; he always knew how to make people laugh, especially providing some much needed comic relief during cross country practice,” Folse said.  “It is difficult to lose someone so close to you and so young, but the truth is that Ross has done more in his brief time than most people do in their entire life.”  
Ross’ father said Mullooly remained optimistic, but several surgeries and the progression of his disease prevented him from returning to the track and classroom at Nicholls.  
In the Fall 2012 issue of Voila! Magazine, Mullooly said, “I want to go as far as I can.  I plan on joining as much as possible at Nicholls because I want to repay them for what they’ve done for me.”  
James said the support from Mullooly’s friends and people at Nicholls created a caring atmosphere to help his family through this difficult time.  
“If anybody wants to know why to go to Nicholls State University, I can tell them why,” James said.  “Because Ross loved Nicholls and Nicholls showed him love back.”  
Mullooly was first diagnosed on Nov. 10, 2010 and underwent his first of many surgeries in April 2011.  
On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, Mullooly’s oncologist told his family there was no solution to his recurrent fevers.  They also learned the tumor pressed against his spinal cord had grown so much that it was only a matter of time.  On Friday, April 19, Mullooly’s family brought him home from the hospital where James said dozens of his friends stopped by to visit.
He added his son did not feel any pain at the time of his passing at 5:40 p.m. on Sunday and that he was surrounded by the love of his family at their home.  
Visitation for Ross will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight at Chauvin Funeral Home in Houma.  Another visitation will be held on Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., with a mass and burial at St. Gregory Barbarigo Church in Houma.  
In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations made to organizations Ross loved such as the American Cancer Society’s Patrick F. Taylor Hope Lodge in New Orleans, St. Matthew’s Episcopal School and Vandebilt Catholic High School in the name of his organization, The Ross Mullooly Project, Out Running Cancer.