About Julia

"More stunning than her laugh, though, was her unbounded compassion for others. Never before have I met someone so ready to give. There is nothing she wouldn't do for her family - for the parents she cherished, the sister she worshipped, or for her grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles - who somehow were always visiting Great Neck whenever the two of us wanted to have plans. She would do anything for her friends - everyone of us from North High through Yale feels we were closest to Julia because she showed us more love and support than you could ever anticipate from another. There is so much love in this room now - but we couldn't even begin to measure it against Julia's love for literally all things and all people." Michael Bosworth, 1999

Julia died of an undiagnosed heart condition on July 15, 1999 at the age of 21. At the time of her death, she was a rising senior at Yale University. Julia was a gifted writer, an athlete, and, above all, a selfless humanitarian. She devoted herself to improving the lives of those in need. As a college student she dedicated her summers and any free time to working with or on behalf of underprivileged children. Among her many activities, Julia was a counselor at a Fresh Air Fund camp, an intern with both the Children’s Defense Fund and the Children’s Law Center, and an active participant in the Peace Games at Yale.

This page collects some of Julia's writings and newspaper articles about her death.

Diary

1985

Omo

Written for English class

Letter to Dina

July 1999

Poem

1996, written just before her freshman year at Yale

Eulogy

By Michael Bosworth's,
July 1999

Graduation speech

by Romy Drucker, Great Neck North High School, June 2003

"Forgive Me When I Fall"

Essay written at age 15

Run

Julia's essay "Run", read by Deja Scott at the 2016 Run

USA Today July 28, 2003

front page article by Robert Davis

Many lives are lost across USA because emergency services fail

Washington City Paper Feb 9, 2001

cover story by Jonathan Agronsky

CALL FOR HELP

A young woman collapsed on the street just 200 yards from a District fire station. It wasn’t close enough

DIARY, 1985

1. The School Report
This is a report about school and what I've done there. I did many things in school. I also have a very nice teacher. You should always make sure you have a nice teacher otherwise you'll have a bad year. I don't only have a very nice teacher but I also have a very nice bus driver. You all should have a very nice bus driver otherwise you'll have a hard time getting home. Walkers sure are lucky, because they don't even have a bus driver, because they walk. I hope you like this report. And I also forgot. All people who ride the bus need a bus badge. I hope other people follow these rules. Once again I hope you enjoy this report.

2. Things I've Done Through the Past Two Years
In kindergarden I did many things. I made papermache Giraffe. It is orange with black dots it has a funny face so I named him Funny Face. Then in first grade, which I just ended today, I did a play of Marry Poppins and to my surprise I was Marry Poppins. Yesterday was a sad day because my best friend Carolina went to Brazil. And in three days my forth best friend Loren is going to Brazil. Loren is lucky --she might get to see Carolina. And in August my best best best best friend is going away and that is me!! I can't wait we're going to California and renting a trailer and then we're going almost all around California I just know I'm going to be car sick I just know it.

3. Which Teacher Do I Think I'm Going to Have Next Year
It's not my choice to pick which teacher I'm going to get next year. But my teacher chooses and that's all right because as I said before, I have a very nice teacher so I know that next year I'm also going to have a nice teacher. I hope second grade is fun!!! First grade and kindergarden were fun!!! So that's why I hope second grade will be fun and I mean a lot, lot lot and lots of fun. But I know there will be a lot of work. I can't believe I'm a second grader.

4. What I Think About my Parents?
Everyone has parents. You all should love you're parents and be nice to them they are very special people. You should not curse to them or hit them. Sometimes you might get in a fight with them but you usually make up. You each have a father and a mother. You're father used to be a little boy. You're mommy used to be a little girl. I am a little girl now but soon I will be big like my mother and father. My sister is bigger than me so she will be like my mother sooner. This chapter is about my parents and how much I like them. Also when you get in a fight with your parents try not to scream! If you ask your mother if you can play with your friend and she says no, then listen to her. I know it's hard because I do it too. But try not to be like me. I hope you follow these rules. I also hope you like this chapter.

5.How Much You Should Love Your Mom and Dad?
You should love your parents a lot a lot a lot and a lot. You should all say things like Please, Thank You, and Excuse Me.

6. What do I Think About my Parents?
I think my father is a perfect father except for when he screams at me and everyone else. My mother is nice but she doesn't have such good table manners. I think I like my father a little bit more than I like my mother but I still like my mother a lot lot lot lot lot lot and a lot!!! But I like my father one lot more. Sometimes I like my mother better than my father because my father is being a little bit nosy.

7. All About My Sister
This chapter will be all about my sister. Nothing here will be about my friends or parents that's why this chapter is called All About My Sister. The story shall begin on this page because I have a lot to write. Now I'm starting. Me and my sister are good buddies. We play tennis together and we swim together. Today me and my sister played a game of tennis. The ball kept bouncing though, so we barely got to hit it.

8. How You Should Care for Your Sister?
If you have a sister or a brother you should be kind to them just like you should be kind to your parent.

9. What me and My Sister Do?
Me and my sister do many things together. Like today me and my sister did gymnastics together. My sister and I write these reports together. It's fun to do things with your sister so you should have respect. I have as much fun with my sister as I have with my friend Danielle. Me and Danielle have the most fun - and I mean lots and lots of fun. If you have a sister or a brother you should at least try to have fun with them. Some people have sister and brother.

The end.