For friends of Mark Mueller, 2003 began on a somber note.

Mueller, who died from an accidental fall on New Years Day, will be missed and remembered.

“He was the nicest kid you could ever meet,” said Chris Domach, a close friend. “He was always outgoing, very athletic, really funny.”

Mueller was part of a close-knit group that has lived together in the Witte dormitory for the past year and a half. The group, described by one as being “so close we answer each other’s phones,” spent most of winter break calling and consoling each other.

Another student, who asked not to be identified, had emotion in his voice as he spoke of Mueller.

“He was very lighthearted,” the student said. “He’d find a way to make someone laugh.”

Domach went on to say, “He never wasted a bit of his day. He always woke up with a plan for his day to accomplish.”

“He was also really intelligent,” Domach said. “He helped everyone on the floor with their homework.”

Mueller enjoyed playing football and basketball with his friends. He was also an avid weightlifter and enjoyed playing video games in his spare time.

When asked how much Mueller liked to party, Domach was quick to defend his friend he describes as levelheaded.

“He was a normal college kid. He’d maybe go out once a week, no more than that. He’s definitely not an alcoholic or anything. He was always in control.”

Consequently, Domach said the news came as a surprise.

“I was shocked when I heard,” continued Domach, who dismissed any rumors of foul play in Mueller’s death. “But I think I put together all of it. It was just a bad accident.”

“He was intelligent, well-liked and kind,” Chief Riseling added in a press release. “Our sympathies are with his family and friends.”