Waterloo mourns the death of student Kaitlyn Roth

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Kaitlyn Roth, a 3A Conrad Grebel University College undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts. Kaitlyn passed away on April 28, 2022.

Kaitlyn grew up in Waterloo Region, attending several local schools before choosing the University of Waterloo for her post-secondary studies. At a young age, Kaitlyn devoted herself to improving the lives of others. She participated in two youth mission trips to Montreal and Portugal and had taken the first step towards a career helping children in need, working as a Direct Support Worker at KW Habilitation.

As a student at Waterloo and Grebel, Kaitlyn embraced community life in many tangible ways. She joined intramural teams, helped to plan Orientation Week activities and organized group study sessions. She also actively attended and planned creative social activities in residence. With her kind and empathetic disposition, Kaitlyn naturally made others feel listened-to and welcomed in any situation. She spread awareness about environmental causes and helped others practice gratitude through a “thankful-grams” initiative last year.

Kaitlyn’s friends describe her as compassionate, gentle, kind-hearted, and a loving friend. At her funeral, Waterloo student Jocelyn Bretzlaff reflected, “no matter the circumstances, Kaitlyn always went above and beyond to connect with others, making sure that everyone around her always knew how loved and valued they were. The way that Kaitlyn loved and cared for people is nothing short of inspirational, and it is my sincere hope that in her memory, we might all do the same.”

Our thoughts and support are with Kaitlyn’s family and friends at this time.

For those wishing to honour Kaitlyn, donations can be made to Carizon Family and Community Services or to the Waterloo Mennonite Brethren youth program. Donations can be made through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com.

If you are affected by this news and need support and if you wish to speak to a professional, please contact any of the following resources:

Counselling Services - 519-888-4567 ext. 32655
Here 24/7 - 1-844-437-3247
Health Services - Student Medical Clinic - 519-888-4096
Grand River Hospital - 519-749-4300
St. Mary's Hospital - 519-744-3311
Good2Talk - 1-866-925-5454
Crisis Services Canada - 1-833-456-4566 or by text 45645  
Mates - mates@wusa.ca