Charley Rekstis ’20 co-wrote this article.
One year after the death of Mark Domboski ’21, family members and rugby teammates hosted events on Hawk Hill to remember Dombroski and help raise money for the Mark Dombroski Foundation.
Dombroski, a member of the men’s rugby team, went missing while on a team trip to Bermuda during spring break in 2018. He was later found at the bottom of a 35-foot cliff. His fall was determined as the cause of his death.
The foundation was created soon after Dombroski’s death with a mission to “provide funding to organizations that support and promote youth education, athletics, safety and well-being,” according to the foundation’s website.
“The foundation was formed to honor Mark’s legacy,” said Lisa Dombroski ’81, Mark’s mother. “Mark was all about friendship, happiness and people enjoying life. He loved children so we knew so we knew the foundation should be for the youth.”
Events kicked off on March 21 with a table set up outside of Campion Dining Hall to sell T-shirts, hats, bracelets and magnets.
Students lined up at the table just outside of Campion Dining Hall hoping to pay either money or respects to Lisa Dombroski, who donned a white St. Joe’s rugby T-shirt with a message reading “MD 15 We Got This.”
“The reception has been excellent,” Lisa Dombroski said. “This school means a lot to me as an alum. A lot of people have been coming up who knew Mark. They either lived with him in Villiger or had class with him or played with him on the rugby team. They are just so kind and supportive.”
John Dombroski Sr., Dombroski’s father, who was also at the table, said he was impressed by how the team came together to remember Dombroski.
“It is crazy,” John Dombroski Sr. said. “All these big tough rugby guys who smash people’s faces in coming together here.”
On the other side of the table selling T-shirts was Ryan O’Neill, a sophomore lock on the rugby team.
O’Neill was friends and teammates with Mark throughout high school at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware, and into their first year at St. Joe’s. O’Neill said he was happy to see some unfamiliar faces coming up to the table.
“It is great to see all the support from everyone, even people who didn’t know Mark,” O’Neill said. “They still get to see what he was like. He lived a life of love. He was always happy and willing to help everyone.”
Junior flyhalf Noah Niumataiwalu also played with Dombroski at Archmere Academy. He said he remembers the simple moments with Dombroski off the field. Those stand out more than anything the two accomplished on it, Niumataiwalu said.
“I was lucky to be his friend,” Niumataiwalu said. “I was in class last year and needed to borrow a book, and Mark ran from Villiger, came and gave me the book, and when we went to leave, everybody said bye to Mark. It was those little smiles.”
On March 24, a mass was held in Dombroski’s honor at the Chapel of St. Joseph. Students and alumni of Archmere and St. Joe’s, St. Joe’s rugby players, community members and Dombroski’s family attended.
“This event has been in the planning stage for a couple of months, and as you can see the spirit was wonderful,” said Bill Rickle, S.J., Campus Minister of athletics, who said the mass.
Lisa Dombroski said the music, “Turn to the Living God,” “Taste and See” and “I Will Give You Life,” represented the feeling that was in the chapel.
“The music was so touching and talked about love and loss and ultimately God being there for us in our times of sorrow and helping us through our tough days,” Lisa Dombroski said.
After the mass, a banquet was held in South Doyle Banquet Hall where rugby players gave the Dombroskis a book filled with photos of Dombroski, along with stories of friendship written by teammates.
At the banquet, the players read some of the stories written in the book.
“Some were funny anecdotes that made us laugh, and some were surprisingly emotional portraits of their friendships with Mark that really brought tears to our eyes,” Lisa Dombroski said, “tears of joy that he impacted people and had such great friends here and great times here.”
Following the banquet, Archmere Academy took on St. Joseph’s Prep on Sweeney Field, Archmere rugby players wore jerseys that said “We Got This” 15 “Mark.”
Lisa Dombroski, John Dombroski Sr. and Dombroski’s brothers, Kevin Dombroski ’15 and John Dombroski, all attended this year’s memorial game after being unable to attend last year because they were still in Bermuda.
Under warm, sunny skies, a group of parents and family members of Dombroski tailgating during the game raised their beers and wine in honor of Dombroski and his memory.
Archmere won all three games. The score of the 15’s game was 37-5, and the scores of the 7’s games were 24-5 and 30-0 respectively.
“It’s a great feeling to have Archmere win,” Lisa Dombroski said. “I think Mark’s adding a little special magic from up above, maybe a little extra celestial help. The weather is so beautiful it just seems like a made in heaven day in a way.”
