Cecil and David Rosenthal, brothers with special needs, were among the shooting victims at last week’s massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Hundreds of mourners attended funeral services for the brothers on Tuesday at Rodef Shalom temple.
They were a staple of the community in Squirrel Hill, Pa. Cecil, 59, and David, 54, are remembered for their infectious laugh and love of others through their involvement with ACHEIVA, a disabilities group and active volunteering with Best Buddies, an organization that provides friendship and inclusion for people with disabilities.
The brothers were afflicted with fragile X syndrome, according to USA Today. Fragile X is a developmental disorder caused by the absence of the FMR1 gene.
But, these challenges didn’t stop the brothers from having a fulfilling life. The two brothers were inseparable and always looked out for one another. Cecil was described as having an infectious laugh and David as being a kind and gentle spirit.
Chris Schopf, vice president of ACHIEVA, which manages the home where the two brothers lived, remembered them as loving and active members of the community.
“Cecil and David had a love for life and for those around them,” Schopf told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. They loved their community. They spent a lot of time at the Tree of Life, never missing a Saturday.”
Once a year Cecil would act as a server for the Rabbi in a special service at the Tree of Life. Cecil and his brother died at the synagogue where they spent every Saturday practicing their faith.
Cecil was also very involved in Best Buddies, which hosted social gatherings for people with developmental disabilities that Cecil loved to attend. The staff occasionally got Cecil to get on the dance floor but he was mainly concerned with eating and socializing.
Cecil insisted on coaching at the Best Buddies’ annual Red vs. Blue basketball game, where Duquesne’s men’s basketball team pairs with the university’s Best Buddies program.
He showed up in a suit carrying a rolled up piece of paper but he was not a dedicated coach cheering for both teams. When being told a coach should root for one team, Cecil refused stating “they’re all my friends.”
“David and Cecil were men,” their sister, Diane Rosenthal, told the congregation at their funeral. “But, as you know, we referred to them as boys.
“They were innocent, like boys, not hardened, like men with age and experience. We cherish our memories of David and Cecil, how they lived their lives with joy, love and happiness, not with resentment and hate.”
