Zoe Damon was a girl with many talents. She excelled at art and at science, two passions that often crossed paths.
“If she picked up a rock that had a different coloration, she could just become engrossed by how beautiful it was,” said Justin Wohl, Zoe’s boyfriend. “She saw beauty in everything.”
Wohl, a recent Binghamton University graduate who double-majored in graphic design and marketing and entrepreneurship, had been dating Damon since the beginning of December.
Their relationship bloomed quickly after their first meeting in the New University Union during lunch.
“I started leaving class early to get lunch so I could see her,” Wohl said. “She was just amazing, I couldn’t get enough.”
Damon, a senior double-majoring in biology and art, died on Thursday, July 14 during a study abroad program in Costa Rica when the van she was riding in skidded and fell into a river. The van had pulled over to let an oncoming car pass when the road beneath it gave way, said BU professor Richard Andrus, who was driving the van.
Andrus, an associate professor of environmental studies and biological science, has led groups around Costa Rica on this summer program for 20 years. He said he does not believe the incident will affect future trips.
“The accident itself was such an incredibly freak event,” Andrus said. “[It was a] very unusual situation involving some very poor road construction, we just happened to be there at the wrong time.”
Andrus described Damon as a strong student who enjoyed being surrounded by the nature in the tropics of Costa Rica.
“When we had classes she would ask very good questions,” Andrus said. “She was an active participant in everything we did.”
Damon’s love of nature stemmed from her childhood. Wohl, who often walked with Damon through the Nature Preserve, explained that when she was growing up, her dad would teach her about the planets, forests, bugs and animals.
“She was always telling me about different plants and flowers,” he said. “She just had a tremendous knowledge of it.”
Her love for the outdoors complimented her love of art from the age of three, when she started drawing. One of her first paintings was called “Snakes and Turtle” and consisted of a circle and two lines, according to Wohl. Although the subjects of her paintings changed as she got older, her inspiration from nature persisted and soon she was painting sunsets by the Hudson River and scenes from Ireland and Greece.
“Her most recent ones are photo realistic,” Wohl said. “You look at it and say this has to be a photo … she recognized beauty on a different level.”
Damon’s family supported her love of art. Her mother is also a painter and Damon, along with her mother and two brothers, would paint together every Thanksgiving.
She was close with her family, describing her mother as one of her best friends, Wohl said. She was also close with her brothers Patrick, 26, and Colin, 30, who frequently sent her care packages at school.
“They’d always be the most wacky things from wine to lollipops,” said Elena Herrera, a close friend. “They had a really good bond, they were really close.”
Damon was a pre-med student who excelled academically.
“I’d be struggling in every subject we were in together but it came all so easy for her,” said Herrera, a senior majoring in sociology. “She was a natural student who was really interested in everything.”
Aside from her studies, she also spent time skiing with the Snocats, rock climbing and trying new exotic foods, according to Wohl.
“I was so amazed just by how complex of a person she was,” he said. “There was just so much going on, so much to learn and so much to be attracted to.”
Herrera noted that Damon, a girl with many passions, was most passionate about other people.
“She always made sure other people were doing what they loved too … always watching out for everyone else,” Herrera said.
According to Herrera, Damon was tenacious and never stopped pursuing what she loved. Herrera said she hopes to emulate this quality in her own life.
“She did what interested her and she didn’t get away from those things for any reason,” Wohl said. “That is something that I can only wish for everybody.”
If there was one thing she would want all people to know, it would be to open their eyes and appreciate the beauty of the world by taking time to love it, according to Wohl.
“The most amazing person I’ve ever met in my whole life … she was my puzzle piece,” Wohl said. “I love her from the bottom of my heart.”