February 1, 2008
2nd Annual Memorial Ceremony
Tessa is remembered in the mountains and by the sea. We begin with the anniversary of her death each year on February 1st. Her siblings and parents realized her this year on a beach in Carpenteria, California, where she swam and boogie-boarded as a child. The ritual took place at sunrise.
Kristena, Tessa's mother, also went hiking down into the Grand Canyon en route home to New Mexico. Her godmother hiked up into the Santa Fe mountains with Tessa's dog Kalu. The extended family continues to celebrate in memory of Tessa through her birthday, March 20th, the first day of spring.
March 20, 2008
Tessa Community Garden
"Tessa's Community Garden" will benefit young single parents in search of sustainability and accountability. Our community will come together to show them we care in hopes that they can thrive. The goal is to support those in search of learning a healthy, positive way to raise their children. They are our largest resource and need our support.
The Death of Tessa Horan
Tessa died in the late afternoon on February 1st after being attacked by a tiger shark. The boy who tried to save her life was the same age as Tessa - 24 - and his name was Tatafu. He risked his own life trying to save her. The Tongan people were remarkably respectful of Tessa's passing. The villagers lined the streets sitting in prayer in the rain as they transported Tessa from shore to the medical facility. The tradition in the Tongan culture calls for wearing black and staying with the body until burial. Tessa’s new family of friends from the Peace Corps alternated staying by her side in the Capital city of Nuku’alofa.
Her memorial was attended by the HRH Princess ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata,the Prime Minister, Peace Corps staff members, Peace Corps volunteers, as well as local Tongan people. Her memorial in Tonga was held February 7th.
Tessa's body was transported to New Mexico and arrived at the Albuquerque airport on February 9th; her father Kevin Horan, stepfather Joseph Burke, brothers Xavier and Devin and her companian Scott Jones were at the airport to recieve her casket. Her body was then relinquished to four family Buddhist friends. These women delicately anointed Tessa's body, which is the Buddhist tradition. They communicated how honorable the experience had been for them (if you are interested in the beauty of the account related to this experience, Cristina Davila has written a most poignant description of her remembrance of the ritual). Tessa had taken refuge in the Buddhist religion on April 11th, 1999. Her Buddhist name was Yeshe Drolma, meaning lady liberator of wisdom. Her teacher was Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche.
The family and friends sat vigil with Tessa's body thoughout the night until the cremation ceremony the following day. Her brothers and close friends made 3 beautiful urns to house her ashes.
Tessa’s community memorial was held at the St. Francis Auditorium inside the Fine Arts Museum on February 11th. Tessa was obviously a master in disguise to many of her family and friends. Tessa’s celebration of life was multi-denominational, embracing her grandmother's minister Bernardo Monserat from the Church of Religious Science, Rabbi Ben Morrow of Temple Beth Shalom, Roshi Joan Halifax, a Buddhist Tessa greatly respected from Upaya Zen Center, and Father Jerome from St. Francis Cathedral. Her parents, Kevin Horan and Kristen Prater, made the decision to embrace all religions in honor of Tessa’s unrestricted embrace of the collective consciousness. The beauty of the ceremony was heightened by Tessa’s siblings, friends and family.
The Tongan government and Peace Corps were represented at the ceremony, speaking on behalf of what Tessa had done in such a short time to honor both organizations. The finality of Tessa’s celebration was topped with the coming together of friends and family for drumming with such delight and exuberance. They carried the energy over to an unplanned reception with Tessa’s family hosting a spontaneous delightful evening including the Tongan and Peace Corps entourage.
View an online Memorial of Tessa Marie Horan.
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Friends in Santa Fe
Friends in Tonga
Friends gathered for drumming
Tessa's siblings and mother on night of Santa Fe Memorial
Friends of Tessa drumming
Tessa's Best Friend Cate and Cousin Brendan
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