Houghton University and Jack Connell Heartbreak and Hope: A Homecoming Story of The Houghton Six

Heartbreak & Hope: A Homecoming Story of The Houghton Six

SKU:
9781632576620
|
UPC:
196321
$16.99
(1 review) Write a Review
Description

Plans for homecoming were in full swing at Houghton College (now Houghton University) in the fall of 1981. On a drizzly Friday morning one week before the festivities, six seniors drove off campus together for a quick trip to Buffalo to pick up their costumes. Beth Andes, Joy Ellis, and Cindy Rudes were the three finalists for homecoming queen; Mark Anderson, Alan Bushart, and Bert Rapp were their three attendants. Together, the Six represented the best and the brightest of Houghton’s Class of 1982. They would never return to campus.

Heartbreak and Hope tells the story of their brief lives, their tragic deaths, and the ongoing impact of their loss among their families, fellow students, and the broader Houghton community. It grapples honestly and courageously with how people cope with loss, make sense of suffering, and experience the grace of God in the midst of unimaginable pain.

Houghton University with Jack Connell

 

Reviews

  • 5
    Deeply moving and insightful

    Posted by Kevin Bushart on 17th Oct 2024

    This long anticipated work moved my heart and spirit as I was transported to the events of that weekend 43 years ago. Alan Bushart was my brother and our family still continues to remember and grieve.

    Dr. Connell has captured both a historical narrative but more importantly the lasting effects . The last chapter was particularly poignant as he wrote about the struggles with grief, faith and our understanding of God.

    Highly recommend not only for those related to Houghton but as a study of the grieving process

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