Cliff was struck by an unexplained and undiagnosed illness in 2019 at the age of 18. For over two years, he and his family were on a medical odyssey, but no doctor could provide a diagnosis or a treatment. The disease was relentless and overcame him in December 2021.
Cliff will be remembered as a bright, energetic, and clever young man who touched so many people and made them better.
Through this fund we honor and memorialize his indomitable spirit, his passion for others and his desire to help those in need by providing essential financial support to people who face the same difficult journey to find a treatment or cure for an undiagnosed illness or rare disease.
ABOUT CLIFF:
Cliff was an incredibly outgoing, happy, engaging, and active 22 year old who enjoyed nothing more than making those around him smile. Often described as a “character”, he had a fun-loving personality and a big heart; he cherished his family and loved his friends. Cliff was smart, funny, confident, passionate, and loyal. He befriended and inspired so many. Throughout his life, he cultivated long and close friendships with his teammates and classmates.
Cliff grew up in Devon and attended Conestoga High School. He excelled in the classroom and on the lacrosse field. He was named a Distinguished Scholar and a US Lacrosse Academic All-American. Conestoga Lacrosse also honored Cliff with the Herzlich Award, which honors the player who best represents the program on the field and in the community. He coached young lacrosse players, taking great pride in teaching them the game and helping them develop by displaying his love for and knowledge of the sport.
Following high school, Cliff attended The Schreyer Honors college at Penn State and was awarded the Torabi-Dussinger Scholarship by the Smeal College of Business as well as the Academic Excellence Scholarship. Cliff was accepted to work at the Nittany Lion Fund, a student-run hedge fund, where he rose to Director of Equity Research before accepting an investment banking internship in New York.
At Penn State, Cliff maintained an active social life as a popular member and officer of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. Cliff’s favorite activity was spending time with his close group of friends. Whether they were from Conestoga or Penn State, he appreciated and loved them, often taking on the role of entertainer.
