The News Staff
The College of the Holy Cross community is mourning the loss of Dominick Tocci ‘27, who passed away on Saturday, March 21, 2026 following a kayaking accident on Lake Hayward in East Haddam, Connecticut. In a statement to the campus community, college officials extended their deepest condolences, sympathy, and prayers to Tocci’s family, friends, and all who knew him. He will be remembered as “a political science major from Woodstock, CT, and a graduate of The Woodstock Academy, where he played baseball, participated in Model UN and Debate, and served as a volunteer firefighter.”
At Holy Cross, Dominick had a meaningful impact on the community through his extracurricular involvement. He “studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and will be remembered for his strong involvement in intramural sports, WCHC sports, as well as with the Chaplains Office.” Bright and talented, Dominick’s love for sports and loyalty to Boston teams was exemplified in his vast knowledge of the athletic world. His favorite teams were the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots. Described as “someone everyone wanted to be around,” Dominick was a role model, demonstrating kindness and determination. As recounted in his obituary, Dominick was a family man. He is survived by his mother, father, older brother, younger sister, step-father, step-mother, his grandmothers and grandfathers as well as an abundance of extended family members.
Dominick will also be fondly remembered by fellow students and friends at Holy Cross. Julia Wheeler ‘27 shared that, “last semester I studied abroad in Galway and came in not really knowing anyone and very anxious. I met Dom on the very first day when we moved in next door to each other and he greeted me with a friendly smile, and I knew that we would be fast friends. From then on, we hung out almost every single day whether it was going to our political science classes together, talking for hours in our kitchen about the world, or going to the King’s Head to play cards. We even went to Luxembourg with our friends for a weekend and had an unforgettable time. I visited Holy Cross for St. Patrick’s Day and remember how happy I was to see him after so long. I feel so lucky to have had a friend who could always make me laugh. Dom was the type of guy you could talk about anything with, he gave great advice and could always cheer you up. I miss him very much and always will.”
A Mass of Remembrance was held for Dominick on Thursday, March 26 at 9 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. Students of all years as well as faculty, staff, and Dominick’s friends and family packed the chapel, joining together to honor his life and praying together. During this time, all community members were welcome to attend to pay their respects to Dominick and his family. Additionally, Calling Hours took place on Saturday, March 28, from 3 to 7 p.m., at Gilman Funeral Home in Putnam, Connecticut, and Dominick’s funeral Mass was held on Monday, March 30, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary of the Hills in Boylston, Massachusetts. Community members are able to donate in Dominick’s memory to all four Woodstock area teams –Woodstock Little League, Woodstock Academy Baseball, American Legion Tri-Town, and CT Mustangs through Venmo @WoodstockCTLittleLeague or checks payable to Woodstock Little League PO Box 94 Woodstock, CT 06281. Donations may also be made to the Holy Cross Fund in memory of Dominick at https://give.holycross.edu/campaigns/78604/donations/new?a=12721361.
For students seeking additional emotional support during this time of immense grief, the College has expanded support hours by opening Campion House, the Office of the College Chaplains, as a staffed drop-in space, with scheduled appointments available. Students can schedule an appointment to speak with a chaplain by calling 508-793-2448. Additionally, the College encourages students in need of extra support to visit Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), for both scheduled appointments, and drop-in hours, or utilize the 24/7 crisis support lines. To schedule an appointment with CAPS, students may call 508-793-3363 or call 1-855-418-7282 for the 24/7 on-call crisis counseling service.
As the Holy Cross community grieves this profound loss, students, faculty, and community members are encouraged to support one another while remembering and honoring Dominick Tocci.
Featured image courtesy of Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory
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