ROCHESTER, N.Y. — All weekend and through Monday, vigils have been held to honor the life of Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man from Minnesota, who was tortured and sexually assaulted by five people, according to New York State Police.

Over the course of several weeks, felony complaints share the abuse that Nordquist endured before his death last week. The tragedy has brought dozens of people across the Finger Lakes area together, many of which never had the chance to meet him.

What You Need To Know

  • Multiple vigils are uniting the community in memory of Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man from Minnesota whose body was recovered last week

  • The incident has left many uneased, including members of the transgender community who found additional support at a vigil Monday evening hosted by The Family Counseling Services of the Finger Lakes

  • Nordquist's sister says every day from now on will be about her brother, and shares t-shirts, keychains, tumblers and buttons have been made in his memory

“Sam did not deserve that," Nordquist’s sister, Kayla, explained. "So as a community, not everyone is bad. It’s just those individuals who are sick and decided they wanted to hurt Sam for no reason. They have been awesome, coming together for Sam: a person they didn’t even know. As well as the rest of the country, and people out of the country.”

“It’s just a tragedy that he had to go like this so I had to set it up,” Linda Leonard added. “He was a good soul. His whole family is. He didn’t deserve this.”

Leonard is among the many who never knew Nordquist personally, but have become close with his loved ones. She met Nordquist’s sister on social media and immediately wanted to help. She is one of the organizers of a vigil in Geneva that took place on Monday afternoon.

“I’ve been in contact with at least over a thousand people,” Leonard explained. “It’s just a tragedy that he had to go like this so I had to set it up.”

The vigil brought strangers together to express their condolences to Nordquist’s loved ones who were in town to mourn their son and brother. The group brought balloons to release and candles to light at the pier.

“It’s really warming, and it helps with the process that Sam is actually loved from everybody even though he didn’t know that,” Nordquist shared. “That’s amazing. Under the circumstances, that’s very sad. But I’m glad that people know Sam’s name and will forever know Sam.”

Monday afternoon’s event was among the many since the weekend and continuing into the week. Monday evening, the Family Counseling Services of the Finger Lakes provided community resources at another vigil in Canandaigua. They saw the transgender community has been hit hard by this tragedy.

“The community outcry, especially within the trans community," Barbara Pierce-Morrow, the president and CEO of Family Counseling Services of the Finger Lakes, explained. "This hits us all really hard, they’re especially vulnerable. There’s a lot of hate and fear. And it’s important that we create allyship and create safe inclusive space for the community to come together to wrap our arms and love around that community. Why? It shouldn’t have happened. It shouldn’t have happened. To be able to shine light [and] help the community understand that just because somebody identified a particular way, they’re human-ness, and their value in our community is essential.”

Asha Gozzelin is a licensed therapist and member of the LGBTQ+ community. Gozzelin says the community’s shock has left the feeling of peace at a distance.

“I don’t really know that peace is possible," Gozzelin said. "I think peace comes from safety and community organizing, so I’ve been doing a lot of support for my folks. Not just safety planning around crisis or suicidality, which is a normal response to a crisis of this sort; it really touches our community, but also doing bigger planning for safety [and] community organizing. As a therapist, this is one thing I can do. Let’s gather other therapists and provide mental health first aid, and that’s really just listening to people, offering community connection and trying to reduce isolation and fear."

“There are other people out there that are being victimized and that need that support," Pierce-Morrow added. "And there’s a lot of people that love and care and that would be wiling, and wished they had the opportunity to reach out and help Sam."

As the community begins its healing process, everyone is still hoping that peace can be brought to Nordquist’s family.

“I don’t think anything could make such a challenging time easier for Sam’s family, however I hope that there’s some reassurance in the amount of people that are here to offer that support,” said Ashley Lewis, vice president of operations at Family Counseling Services of the Finger Lakes. “We hope that the event can cultivate hope for individuals so that if people are feeling isolated or scared, they know that there are people that are really here to support. So we’re hopeful that tonight will have a positive impact.”

“I would love to leave with a little bit more community connection," Gozzelin said. "Whether with other therapists [or] other people who just want to land and have a space to grieve together, rather than in isolation. I'm also hoping we are also able to help Sam's family feel more supported and less alone in their grief. So really that emphasis on community care and connection."

“They have been awesome, coming together for Sam: a person they didn’t even know," Nordquist said. "As well as the rest of the country, and people out of the country.

Nordquist added that she’s even received condolences on social media all the way from Italy.

“Justice needs to be served,” Leonard said.

The community has also made keychains, buttons, tumblers and t-shirts among many other items to help Nordquist’s live on. The family awaits justice to be served for their son and brother. Five suspects are expected to be in Hopewell Town Court on Wednesday.