View “In Memory” below.
“The film explores our collective grieving process in the days and months following Laconti’s death, as seen through the prism of Facebook, and the integral role it played in bringing us together.
“I have to say, it has surprised even me how much we have all come together over this virtual, imagined space,” Angel said. “We have used it to organize events, plan trips, raise money for Tom’s family and legacy, and yes, even become friends offline.”
Angel and Mendralla weren’t the only ones deeply affected by the Facebook posts. Loconti’s brother said he couldn’t sleep after receiving his farewell message; he joined a search party of friends that combed Chicago’s streets in hopes of finding Laconti before it was too late.
Around 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2014, police found Loconti unresponsive after he jumped from a parking garage in the 600 block of East Grand Avenue. He was pronounced dead at 4:45 a.m., and his death was ruled a suicide by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Friends said the skilled dancer, who had been profiled in the Reader, had been going through personal issues before his death.