When I think of Nick, the word purity comes to mind, he was the purest of souls
AT the funeral of Niccolai Schuster yesterday, his heartbroken father demanded that ‘no stoned be left unturned’ in bringing those responsible for the Berkeley balcony collapse to justice. As well as his father John, Niccolai’s inconsolable younger brother Alexei and their mother Graziella also paid poignant tributes to the UCD student who they described as ‘magical’. From the altar at the Church of the Three Patrons in Rathgar, south Dublin, the 21-year-old’s father John sought assurances from US investigators that what happened in Berkeley will never be repeated. ‘This cannot happen again,’ he said. But in a gracious act of comfort to parents of would-be J-1 students, Mr Schuster also urged mothers and fathers not to be deterred from sending their children to the US on J-1 schemes. A fearless, fun-loving adventureseeker was how he described his son. Alexei, meanwhile, said he’d been torn in two by the sudden loss of his brother, whom he lovingly called the ‘king of tomfoolery’. John Schuster told mourners his son was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’ and urged parents: ‘Let your children have freedom – it will give them life experience.’ Niccolai’s mother Graziella echoed her husband’s sentiments when paying tribute to her son, telling mourners that a parents job is to give their children roots as well as wings, to set them free. She said: ‘The most difficult thing to give them is wings.’ Earlier the remains of Niccolai had been brought into the church by six of his friends dressed in his favourite team Bayern Munich’s jerseys bearing the name ‘Schuster’ and ‘21’, signifying his age.
John Schuster’s eulogy for his son
NICK was the love of our lives. The word that best described Nick was magical. His smile looked like a thousand rays of sunshine; he was exotic always looking for a laugh.
He had a great sense of the ridiculous. He called me The Bull. I would walk in the door from work and he would lift his head from the PlayStation and say ‘Hi Bull’. All you had to do was look at his face and the world seemed so much better, his complexion, his willowy walk and his elegant long fingers.
When I think of Nick, the word “purity” comes to mind – he was the purest of souls and he always kept that childlike presence. I was privileged to have Nick as my son.
Alexei and Nick were so close, they were inseparable. They went to matches together, they played PlayStation, soccer, rugby and just loved being together.
It was an unshakable bond and they just loved being together – there was always great banter and wit. Alexei was his best friend and they loved each other.
When Alexei got the bad news he was sitting at the kitchen table. He jumped up and raced into the garden with his hands held high and looking into the sky he screamed with all his might: ‘I love you, Nick!’
In 2014 Nick and myself set up a transition year soccer team. Niccolai was passionate about the team. I was manager but only in name, Nick was the coach. There was no doubt in his mind about who called the shots, he sacked me three times and then he reinstated me after realising nobody else wanted the job. The craic we had during the year was something I will always remember.
The Schusters are party animals and we like the craic. I think this wild side comes from the Keane genes. Nick was the grandnephew of John B Keane and he loved nothing more than to have a few pints in John B’s bar and listen to the farmers telling stories about Abbeyfeale. Nick also had a serious side to him though. In school he was a lovable character. He really didn’t show any interest in Einstein’s theory of relativity or Keats’s Ode To A Nightingale. He really knuckled down though in UCD, scoring well in history, politics and Spanish. I congratulated him on his hon- ours when the results came out but he really wanted a first. He was competitive but he did not show it.
Nick’s adoring mother poured every last fibre of her body into him, making Nick’s life happy and fulfilling – Nick was everything to her. As they say in Kerry, she doted on him. She loved him to bits, Nick could do no wrong in her eyes, no matter what mischief he had got up to.
Nick had no fear, a trip to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam last year. The picture of Nick standing on the rooftop in Bangkok depicts Nick’s openness. That picture spoke to me, he is shouting from the rooftop in Bangkok, “I am a Schuster, and I am here to make new friends!” I am glad he did.
This tragedy is going to increase the anxiety of parents of kids leaving these shores after the Leaving Cert and the future for J-1 students. I would like to send a message out to the parents of Ireland: let your kids go, do not let this incident deter you. Let your children have freedom it will give them live experience.
Shortly before Nick left us before San Fran he said to me: ‘Dad, when I finish my degree in UCD I plan on travelling to South America for six months.’ I loved that about him, he was so courageous and brave.
If he had survived the accident he would have made the trip to South America, even if it was on one leg and I would have been happy to let him go – more than happy. Adventure was part of his life, Nick used to say, ‘I don’t do boring.’
Nick was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thank you to the medical staff in America, thank you for the warmth shown by the people of Berkeley, we pray for a speedy recovery for those still in hospital. Jack Halpin, Conor Flynn, Niall Murray, Clodagh Cogley, Aoife Beary and Niall Waters.
To the investigators I say, we have lost our magical son and best friend, we are devastated and rattled to our very core. Leave no stone unturned in this investigation, this cannot happen again.
Nick was like a space rocket going through life, he was go, go, go. The love he gave and the love he received was something special.
Over the last few days many of Nick’s friends have asked me, ‘is there anything I can do for you John and Graziella, anything at all, just tell me and I will do it’.
Well I have thought about it long and hard and we would like you to do two things for us: the first is, many of Nick and Alexei’s friends are learning to drive at the moment. Please do not speed. Keep safe. Think of my request if you are tempted to speed. Our second request, from this day forward – our house is open, our house is your house. To all Nick’s friends, we will not survive without you. Nick’s spirit lives with you, he is part of you.
I cannot express how much it would mean to us if you drop in unannounced. It is the greatest gift we can receive to see you on a regular basis. Never ever think, ‘Oh, I might be intruding.’ We love having young people in the house and we want to keep it that way. Thanks to our amazing family, we could not have got through the last few days without your help. You have given us so much love and strength in this black hole of unimaginable devastation.
‘Alexei and Nick were inseparable’