Mallory Crisona
Commemorative Speech Text
Good evening. I want to thank everyone here, both family and friends, for coming
tonight to celebrate my youngest brother’s graduation from college. On behalf of all of my
siblings, we thank our parents for this wonderful party and for supporting not just Ethan, but all
of the kids during our educational and professional pursuits. None of us would be where we are
without you and we love you. Now, to my little brother, Ethan, I want to, first and foremost,
congratulate you on this incredible and well deserved accomplishment. You have worked
extremely hard for this very moment, and I cannot explain how proud we all are of you. You
have grown into a wonderful, innovative, warm-hearted young man. The smile you had on your
face as a baby has only grown bigger in the last 22 years, and I know people are ready for your
energetic creativity to make a dent in the technology world.
When we were kids, we loved to make breakfast for our parents. Though I am not so
sure it was edible, we thought it was delicious. When I think about those times, so many
memories come flooding back. There were always chocolate chips and flour all over the
counter, eggs in the sink, and a tray on the stove that our oldest brother was always in charge of.
I remember laughing, crying, a little bit of fighting, and laughing some more. What I remember
most, though, is your need to constantly out-do all of us. Whether we were making French toast
or pouring bowls of cereal, you had to create a little something extra. Your meal came with a
menu, an after-breakfast sorbet, a choice of tea, or the always popular home-made “I love you
mom” card. Whatever it was that you created, you made sure that your meal was better than
ours. Though I would never have admitted it as a child, I always admired the extra effort and
innovative style you had.
As each of us made our way through public school, all of the siblings, myself included,
continued to admire our little brother’s positive outlook on the world. In your eyes, Ethan, the
sun became brighter and brighter each day, despite any rain that the rest of us experienced. No
amount of darkness could drown out the light you always managed to create. If I saw a problem,
you only saw a solution. Our parents were constantly encouraging us to explore anything and
everything. Though most of us were adventurous, their exploratory nature seemed to rub off on
you the most. Your quests to continuously question, solve, and create ultimately led to a very
successful academic childhood. And although you excelled in school, you hated doing
homework. When our brothers and sisters insisted, you eventually got it done. We figured it
out, together, as always.
As your creativity and innovative approach to problem solving and life in general began
to unfold, I, yet again, looked on with admiration. If you had a school project, you didn’t just
accomplish the task at hand. You explored every possible avenue you could until you made your
idea flourish. When you became President of the yearbook club, it came as no surprise when
your creative and heart-felt ideas for the memory pages brought me to tears. Your ability to
bring me to tears, however, was on par with your ability to make me laugh. Whether we were
helping each other with homework or college applications, your light-hearted jokes came as a
welcomed break from the pressure we have all learned the world has to offer. Your ability to
maintain your smile throughout any circumstance is something that I hope you hold on to
forever. And if the smile ever fades, just remember that we can bring it back, together.
Upon your acceptance into a business college in Boston, your apprehension to leave
home became apparent. With some insistence and encouragement from our parents and siblings,
you eventually decided to take a risk and move to Boston to pursue your degree in business. It
was during these four years that you not only grew up, but you truly grew into yourself. You
were always a confident kid, but during your college years, you became a strong, independent
man who knows what he wants and is going after it with everything he has. Your willingness to
not only explore your intellectual pursuits but to explore those pursuits when they scared you the
most was admirable. When you came to me and told me you had an idea to create a new
technology business, I knew there was no stopping you. I was nervous for you not because I
didn’t believe in you, but because I knew it cost a lot of money, time, and effort. I worried that
you were a bit in over your head. But all of us assured you that if you were really committed to
this, then we would support you together, as always. It should come as no surprise that within
months, Ethan already sealed the deal with an investor.
As all of us sat with our parents in the audience and watched you receive your college
diploma (with a smile on your face, of course), I felt the same admiration I have felt for you our
entire lives. You may be my little brother, the baby of a big family, but your clear and
unapologetic view of what you want for your life is a rare characteristic at 22 years old. You are
beginning a tech start-up business in a world that is fast-moving and quickly changing. Your
innovative approach will, without a doubt, be called upon. You will be tested in ways that you
have not been before. You will face challenges and doubters. You will question those around
you. You will question your choices. But I urge you, Ethan, to be your own answer to those
questions. We have had many discussions about your new business, and this is the first time in
your life that I have truly heard the slightest bit of doubt in your voice. That is normal. It is part
of growing up. All of our brother and sisters (and me) have felt that doubt at one point or
another in our lives, and we weren’t even starting a business at 22.
So while you may have doubts, I want you to keep your smile, your confidence and your
creativity. Though you will be tested, you will also be growing. You will find strength you did
not know existed. You will find innovation within yourself even more so than you have in the
past. You will be the solution to any problem, just like you were when we were kids. Your big
smile and warm heart will be just as essential to your success as your innovative and creative
personality will be. And remember in those doubtful times, we are in this together. Whatever
support we can offer, we will, as always, but I have all the confidence in you in the world. I
know you will succeed, and deep down, you know you will succeed. Don’t be afraid to keep
exploring, Ethan. Explore every opportunity that comes your way, just like you always have. As
you grow your business, just remember how you made all those breakfast meals when we were
kids. No matter what the order was, you always made it something special. So Ethan, go show
the world what it means to create something special. Good luck and congratulations.