A little bit about Quin
Andrew Quinlan Murphy 6/3/1993-1/27/2010
Quin was a very active 16-year-old teenager. He had a passion for the sport of soccer that he shared with his father, Brian Murphy. Quin could juggle a soccer ball on the top of his foot for over 100 counts. His ability and skill allowed him the opportunity to play in an adult soccer league with his father. He was also a very fast runner, winning the Turkey Trot race at his middle school.
Quin was part of an extended family. All of his uncles and aunts helped raise him and considered him a son. His cousins played with him every day and considered him a brother. It was typical of all of the cousins to go on vacations together and to have sleepovers every weekend. They also attended school together.
Quin’s second passion was history. He surprised his family with his knowledge of obscure historical facts. He was an avid reader and enjoyed watching The History Channel with his dad and cousin.
If you were to walk into Quin’s room, you would find dozens of books ranging from fantasy, such as Lord of the Rings and Aragon, to Greek and Roman history. One of the last books he read was a book on naval history. The book detailed how his great-great-grandfather, his namesake, won the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Spanish-American War.
Quin was blessed with being able to travel with his father, cousins, and aunts. His aunt, Patricia Murphy, was in awe of him when he gave her a personal, guided tour of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. He recalled the historical aspects of the buildings and analyzed the architecture for deeper meaning. He also traveled to Italy, Turkey, England, Ireland, and Hawaii. The highlight of his life was seeing his favorite soccer team, Manchester United, play in England. He was in heaven, standing only 30 feet away from some of the best soccer players in the world.
In the summer of 2009, Quin was thriving. He was healthy and well-formed. He weighed approximately 125 lbs., and was beginning to build muscle; his shoulders were broadening. He spent his summer vacation with his father, uncle, and cousin hiking, mountain biking, and swimming in the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. He also participated in boys under-18 soccer league, where he was playing better than ever.
On January 27, 2010, Quin died of a preventable and misdiagnosed illness.
In an effort to learn from this tragedy, Quin’s family started The Quin Murphy Foundation to keep Quin’s memory alive through the hopes and dreams of future scholarship recipients and to help families who are experiencing difficulties navigating the medical system.
Read A Father’s Message about your rights and the healthcare system.
