On Wednesday, Oct. 16, University of Alabama student James Michael Thorp Jr. died suddenly at age 22. Thorp was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, an avid Auburn football fan and a friend to all. “All he had to do was walk in a room and it immediately lit up,” said Molly Greenwood, Thorp’s friend since middle school. “He loved everyone, and everyone loved Michael. Hugest heart in the world and would do anything for the people he cared about.” Greenwood said Thorp wasn’t the kind of guy who had a lot of friends – instead, he was everyone’s best friend. “He was my rock,” she said. “He always knew what to say or how to be there for you. He didn’t have a judgmental bone in his body.” Greenwood recalled a memory of Thorp from high school, when he insisted she and her brother join his family for Thanksgiving when they were home alone. “Michael learned that from his mother – to take care of his friends, just the way she took care of her family,” she said. “He embraced that from her and really lived his everyday life just like that.” Originally from Montgomery, Thorp attended Montgomery Catholic Preparatory High School, where he excelled in sports. Greenwood, a cheerleader at the school while Thorp played, said the cheerleading squad had their own personal cheer for him on the basketball court. “He broke records on our basketball team. The kid could shoot three pointers with his eyes closed,” Greenwood said. “He was our biggest star.” Despite his athletic talent, Thorp will be remembered for his dedication to his family. Michael’s mother and father meant the world to him, Greenwood said, and he took care of them. He also worked hard as an older sibling. “His little brother Clayton is a mini-Michael; it is adorable,” she said. “His sister is the strongest girl I’ve ever met. Michael taught her all of that strength and wisdom, and he made a point to do so. She meant the world to him.” Greenwood said that despite the sudden loss, she feels blessed to have known Thorp and know that he was laid to rest happy. However, there are things that she will always miss. “I will miss his advice, his lively uplifting spirit, his adventures he always came up with just to provide us with some fun or entertainment,” she said. “He was really good at that.”