La Sierra University remembers beloved student Christian Batchelor

Members of Christian’s family were also present for the evening prayer service attended by a large number of his friends as well as professors who taught Christian in his Communication major classes.

Christian, a junior year student, died April 23 from congenital heart failure. He enrolled at La Sierra University after graduating from Rio Lindo Adventist Academy in Healdsburg, Calif. and enjoyed many aspects of campus life including singing in the Voice of Praise Gospel Choir. During the service, his peers lined both sides of HMA to speak about Christian’s legacy of kindness and consideration for others, faith in God, and positive, happy outlook. More than 50 others joined the service online through a Facebook livestream.

“I cherish every moment I’ve had with him,” said a friend and fellow student. “I’ve never lost someone so close to me. I can only imagine what his family is going through. But thank you for bringing him to La Sierra University. He’s going to be missed. I think what keeps me from breaking is that hope, that hope that we have in Jesus Christ. He rose and He conquered death. Because of that, we have this hope that one day we will see that smile one more time.”

Another student recalled his interaction with Christian in Sierra Towers men’s dorm where they both lived. “We were always in each other’s rooms,” he said. “It was endless fun with him. He made an impact on my life from the very beginning and La Sierra wouldn’t have been the same without him.”

Another student recalled with humor Christian’s upbeat, cheerful attitude. “For the longest time, I tried to figure out how I can be that happy. Homeboy was happy, even though he knew the risk to his life,” he said.

“You can’t not enjoy his presence. It’s contagious,” said another fellow student. “We got to witness the heart of a Christian. It was loving, it was kind, it was forgiving.”

Another noted Christian’s openness about his love for God which prompted her to interview him for a class on Seventh-day Adventist beliefs. “We actually met because I noticed he was one of the few people I know on campus who was walking with God everywhere he went. It was a blessing because without his walking with God we would have never met.”

Others prompted laughter when they spoke of Christian’s passion for Boba tea drinks, his nighttime runs to Wingstop and other favorite eateries, and his love for music.

“You raised a good son,” a student said to Christian’s mother. “He was always there for people. We lost someone great.”

“Thank you for giving a life that gave so much back,” said another, adding that Christian had two ambitions in life – to make everyone around him happy and to give back to his family. “He was an exceptional human being,” she said.

Christian’s professors also shared memories and their love for their student who aimed for a career in public speaking.

"Christian was always consistent about his career goal,” said Associate Professor of Communication Lynn Caldwell to the students who filled much of the auditorium. “He wanted to be a motivational speaker. You and I must fulfill that mission and goal for him. Raise your hand if you are willing to step up one day, when opportunity arises, and speak on Christian's behalf. You can tell your audience about Christian, and the gracious God that allows you to continue to use your gifts and talents for others."

La Sierra University President Randal Wisbey, who opened the prayer service, thanked Christian’s mother and grandparents for sharing the gift of their son and grandson with La Sierra University. He spoke about the holiness and importance of life in a fast-moving world.

“These moments remind us that life is very sacred. It is a gift. When we are young, we sometimes forget that,” he said. “We live in a very fast-paced world. Yet in these moments, everything suddenly halts. This afternoon we are going to remember Christian. We are going to reflect upon what his life has meant to us as a university family and to us individually. We are also going to remember that we have a marvelous hope, that we look forward to being with Christian again one day.”