Moreau First Year Experience
Miss Taylor
3/3/22
A Calling to Serve the Vulnerable
On behalf of the Redmond family, I would like to thank everyone for gathering here today for the celebration of life for . Liam greatly touched all our lives in many ways. A husband, brother, father, and grandfather, he was a man of many titles. However there was no more important title to Liam than friend. As I am sure many of you can attest, Liam was always there with a smiling face and endless conversation. Always looking to make friends with whoever would give him the time and attention even if it was a brief interaction. He had the ability and charisma to make friends with so many people which is why we are all gathered here today.
Born in West Chester, New York in 2002,  was not bound for city life after moving to Vermont shortly into his life. Liam was extremely  proud to be a Vermonter, known for exploring the green mountains in the summertime and skiing in the winter up until the age of 90. There was only one way to get Liam to move out of Vermont and that reason was the University of Notre Dame. Since he was a young boy Liam was one of the most dedicated Irish fans I had ever met and there was nothing more he wanted then to attend Notre Dame. As his lifelong friend Aidan recalled, Liam had one of the best work ethics I had ever seen, he was especially passionate about every project he was involved with and always contributed 110%. (“Moreau Conversation” by  - Moreau FYE Week Five) With his exceptional work ethic established early on Liam was able to attend his dream school. I know for a fact he is smiling down on us wearing that infamous ND sweatshirt. Little did he know that those four years in South Bend were to be some of the most important and influential years of his life. Notre Dame helped to shape the core values that Liam embodied his entire life. One of the values that Liam developed through his catholic education was his love for his God and his perspective of what was truly important in life. He realized early on that in good times and in bad one must rely on the goodness of God for strength. I remember one of his friends asking a question along the lines of “If God is good, why does he allow suffering in my life?” (“5 Minutes” by Grotto - Moreau FYE Week Six) I recall him replying how at times it can feel as if God has abandoned us, but it is so important to realize that God always has a plan and is supporting us by helping us to grow and learn from suffering. After hearing Liam speak so passionately about his love and loyalty to his God I quickly realized his depth and groundedness.
Notre Dame can not only be attributed for developing Liam’s faith but also his extraordinarily successful professional career. As many of us are familiar with, ND was the birthplace of Liam’s first widely regarded and established entrepreneurial venture, Desi. Early on into his time at college Liam developed the idea for his revolutionary rideshare app. Through numerous obstacles, Liam was able to set a goal of creating his own app and actually produce it. Who would have guessed that his first idea developed on the desk of his tiny dorm room would grow into the multi billion dollar company it is today? I would have and I did, Liam was one of the most dedicated and passionate individuals I had ever met. One quote from iconic Notre Dame President Fr. Hesburgh that I believe emulates Liam’s drive is this, “Whatever you value, be committed to it and let nothing distract you from this goal. The uncommitted life, like Plato’s unexamined life, is not worth living.” (“Hesburgh” by Fr. Theodore Hesburgh - Moreau FYE Week Two) Desi was only the beginning, Liam was always setting additional goals and looking into new ideas for how he could impact and improve society. From Desi he went on to form a variety of different companies and products. With every company, they always reflected his deep passion for inflecting positive social change on society and reducing global climate emissions. He truly was a natural entrepreneur his entire life. Although Liam was exceptionally proud of all his successful business ventures and accomplishments, that wasn’t what was truly important to him. Most of all he desired to serve those who lived on the margins of society. He often preached this well known quote from Admiral Richard E. Byrd, “‘Half the confusion in the world comes from not knowing how little we need.’” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One) Liam believed that we are all equals no matter our backgrounds or financial status. He never let his financial success alter his values as he regularly donated his earnings to a variety of organizations that support those who lack financial security and are living on the margins. He would often strike up a conversation and support strangers forgotten by society on the street.
Liam’s passion for serving others is ultimately what led him to leave behind his business ventures. He decided to focus solely on the nonprofit he founded to serve at-risk teens struggling with mental health. I believe this quote accurately reflects Liam’s motivations for moving on from his financial success to his life’s mission, “This joy may lead you in many, many directions, and it may lead you to further questions.” (“Three Key Questions” by Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three) He found joy in helping others and followed that calling by dedicating his work and life to serving those who were most in need. When he reflected on his feeling that his calling was elsewhere, Liam often referred to this belief, “This reinforces the need to consider all four aspects - values, interests, personality, and skills - when making a career decision.” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by ND Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four) This is what defined Liam for truly living a life well-lived, he gave up his career which had been his whole life and asked the difficult question about what was important to him. He demonstrated his courage and authenticity by following that calling from God to serve the vulnerable.
	Even though his calling was to serve others, there was nothing more important to Liam than his family and his community. His humor led him to become a beloved member and leader of every community in which he called home throughout his life. Liam believed that without community, humans naturally aren’t able to form their values to their full potential.This quote from an excerpt of Tattoos on the Heart by Fr. Greg Boyle accurately articulates how Liam valued the importance of community, “Alone, they didn’t have much, but together, they had a potful of plenty.” (“Tattoos on the Heart” by Fr. Greg Boyle - Moreau FYE Week Seven) Even with his dedication to his career, values, and community, Liam always loved his wife and kids the most, he always made time for his family. Many of his employees remember Liam shutting down the entire workplace so he and all the employees made sure to spend more time with their loved ones. I would conclude that Liam will be missed, but his legacy and essence will forever remain with us. I encourage you all to live like Liam did and to always embody his values.