The Power of One
The hospital at Nhowe Mission is named for Brian Lemons, son of Dr. Stephen (’74) and Loretta Lemons of Andover, Kansas. Brian went to the site in 1996 and fell in love with the country and the people. He planned to return to Zimbabwe as a missionary upon his college graduation.
— The Power of One —
Announcing the Brian Lemons Athletic Training Center A tree just north of Hulitt Hall is dedicated to the memory of Brian Lemons. It's a tree that YC students and employees have walked by hundreds of times. The plaque reads “In loving memory of Brian A Lemons, Jan 3, 1978 - Feb 23, 1997, The Power of One, From all those whose lives you touched.” The tree stands in remembrance but also to share the story with future generations. Brian’s life was cut short by a tragic car accident during his freshman year at York College. A second-generation Yorkie, Brian Lemons was following the same path as his dad, Steve (’74). Brian was an inspirational student. The starting goalie on the men’s soccer team, he was a student leader who touched the lives of many in his day. His legacy continues to touch many who are still at York today. Current education department professor Sarah Van Gomple and head softball coach Roni Miller were among his contemporaries. His youth minister in Wichita and current YC business professor, Tim Lewis remembers Brian, “In your lifetime you may be fortunate enough to encounter a person, no matter how briefly, who makes everyone and everything around them brighter and more hopeful. Have you ever seen a photograph of a lightning bolt that hits the earth on a cloudy, dark night? As it strikes, it brings an indescribable brilliance, beauty and strength. Then it’s gone. For me, and many others, Brian Lemons was that bolt of lightning. He filled our lives with hope and the joy of life. Almost daily, when I walk by his campus tree or glance at the photo of him in my office, two things about Brian come to my mind. First, how deeply those that loved him, miss him. And, how much influence he still has in our lives. In his memory and in his honor, people are being healed, fed, educated, loved and taught the Word of Life. His family and extended church family have worked tirelessly to take up the work that Brian was unable to complete himself. He was and always will be to all of us...the Power of One." Brian’s influence was keenly felt by his peers and friends but his legacy extends far beyond York and his hometown of Wichita. Nhowe Mission, an outreach of Churches of Christ in Zimbabwe, is home to a hospital named in Brian’s memory. It is part of a complex that includes an orphanage, school and more. It is a place that gives hope to those who have none - especially for children who need refuge in the
