URI Students To Wear Purple In Memory Of Nursing Student

KINGSTON, R.I. -- University of Rhode Island students are planning to wear purple on Friday in memory of one of their own. Fellow nursing student Tyler Fritz is calling for students to wear purple, Dominque Franco's favorite color, on Friday.

"This Friday will mark the first day of class [Franco] will not be here with us and Iwill have an empty seat next to me," Fritz wrote on Facebook. "I want to keep everything full of life, just like her and what better way to do that than to wear her favorite color?"

Fritz continued that he is hoping to make it a campus-wide event, asking students to "fish something out of the bottom of your drawers or ask a friend to borrow a shirt."

Franco was found unresponsive in the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority house in the early hours of February 16. She was taken to South County Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

"It is with unimaginable sadness that we grieve the loss of our sister and chapter President Dominique Franco," read a post on ZTA's URI Chapter Facebook page. "She was friendly, funny and outgoing, lighting up every room she entered. The world lost a truly incredible person and she will be extremely missed. Our hearts are with Dominque’s family during this difficult time."

Photo Credit: Rachel Nunes, Patch