George Mason University sophomore Bridget Healy passed away unexpectedly at the age of 24 on Thursday while at home with her parents. Healy was active in the Mason LIFE program, which offers a university experience to students with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Friends describe Healy as loving, caring and special. “My favorite memory of Bridget was being able to see her smile everyday,” said Tommy Miossi, Mason LIFE student and buddy director of Best Buddies Club at Mason, which pairs disabled students in one-to-one friendships with other university students.

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In her free time, Healy enjoyed watching movies, spending time with her friends and attending Mason events. “Bridget was a great and wonderful person and a very great friend of mine. I loved her so much,” said Caitlin Donovan, historian of Best Buddies and Mason LIFE alumna. “She had such a great personality. She will be greatly missed by all of the Mason LIFE staff and students.”

Healy was a member of the Best Buddies Club. Each month, the club holds meetings so that all of the friendship pairs can get together for activities.

“Best Buddies is planning to plant a tree on campus in her honor near the Aquia Building. This is where the Mason LIFE program is, so it seems the most appropriate place,” said Alexa Rivas, senior psychology and pre-law major and president of the Best Buddies Club. “We are also going to be putting together a Best Buddies memory book to send to her family. Everyone in our chapter will be contributing, so it will be really special.”

Healy grew up in Towson, Md., where her parents still live. Her brother, Tim Healy, is a student at Virginia Tech. “Bridget will be greatly missed. She was a great role model for everybody and she loved her friends,” Miossi said.

Viewings for Healy will be held at Ruck Funeral Home in Towson, Md., from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. The funeral mass will be on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Church of the Nativity in Towson, Md. The internment will be at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium, Md.