Med Student Remembered At Funeral

Pearce's family, friends and colleagues gathered Monday morning at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill to remember the 27-year-old student.

Pearce died Friday morning from complications related to a virus he contracted treating a pediatric patient in January.

Pearce knew pursuing his goal of becoming a physician could shorten his life, but he entered the School of Medicine with the intent of finding a cure for cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease he had since birth.

"'My illness has been a learning experience. The lessons at times have been costly but made me who I am,'" a medical school faculty member recalled Pearce saying before his death.

An entire section of church pews was filled with Pearce's classmates, all wearing their white lab coats in Pearce's honor.

In his casket, Pearce was also wearing his white lab jacket and his stethoscope.

Medical student Phuong Doan reminisced about Pearce's sense of humor. Doan said Pearce was known for his numerous impressions, including one of Michael Jackson, complete with white glove.

Doan also marveled at Pearce's sheer dedication to medicine.

"He is with us as an example of what we should be as physicians," Doan said.

Loretta Higgins, Pearce's cousin, remembered the tenacity for life and ambitious goals that Pearce had even as a child.

Higgins remembers Pearce once comforting one of his two twin sisters, who both died of cystic fibrosis.

"'Listen, don't you worry. I'm going to make it better and find a cure,'" Higgins recalled Pearce saying.

And Pearce worked toward that promise with determination.

With medical Professor James Yankaskas, Pearce worked in his lab studying the quantitative morphology of cystic fibrosis in the lungs.

"I have no doubt that had he continued on that path of research, he would have found that cure in time," Higgins said.

The same words to describe Pearce were heard again and again: humane, dedicated, caring, highly regarded, goal-driven and, most of all, compassionate.

Throughout his life, Pearce left his mark upon his classmates, they recalled.

Georgette Dent, associate dean of student affairs at the medical school, said she knows Pearce's classmates will be more patient and humane doctors because of their experiences with Pearce.

Dent said, "I see Brett's spirit living in his classmates' lives."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.