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GREENSBORO — Ferline Milandu almost didn’t make it to Monday’s memorial service for her older brother, Jospin “Andre” Milandu.

But then she thought: What would my brother do? He wouldn’t mope, and he wasn’t one for lying around the house.

So, like many who had taken to the podium before her, Ferline Milandu urged those who attended the service in N.C. A&T’s Memorial Student Union to wipe their tears and remember what the day was really about.

“We’re not going to cry because this is a celebration of life,” she told them.

Jospin Milandu, a 20-year-old sophomore at A&T, collapsed Thursday during tryouts for the track team and later died at Moses Cone Hospital. Doctors attributed his death to complications from an elevated heart rate, university officials said.

Milandu ran track at Knightdale High School in Wake County and dreamed of making A&T’s team.

Milandu left an indelible mark on many in his brief life, as evidenced by the number of family, friends and faculty and staff who lined up to share memories of him that defined his personality: kind, energetic and always upbeat.

He barely knew Jeff Sibert but gave him a heads up about a class assignment.

He gave his adoptive uncle, Ralph Malonda, daily calls at 1:30 a.m., just because.

When Moyo Olusesi forgot his wallet, Milandu gave him $20 for food and told Olusesi not to worry about paying him back.

He was an obedient son and, at the time of his death, was also becoming a good friend to to his father Mahungu Milandu.

He would start dancing at the drop of a hat, throw around slang terms — one of his favorites to say was “son” — and annoy his 14-year-old sister, Ellen, by sneaking up behind her at the breakfast table and stealing her cereal bowl.

But one thing he was serious about was track. Syene Jasmin, A&T’s former Student Government Association president, talked with Milandu last year. He recalled the subject of track coming up.

Milandu told Jasmin he woke up at 5 a.m. to run. Jasmine encouraged Milandu to try out for the team.

“He went away doing something that he loved. That’s what counts,” Jasmin said.

By all accounts, Milandu was coming into his own. He was gaining interest in computer science, to his dad’s delight.

He had been working out all summer preparing for track tryouts. He was with his sister Ferline earlier on the day of his death when a friend of hers remarked that he seemed to be glowing.

The track team has dedicated its season to Milandu, team co-captain David McFadgen told the family.

McFadgen told them that Milandu never complained that day during tryouts and that, despite his death, he accomplished his goal of joining the A&T track team.

“He will forever be a member of our track team, a member of our family.”

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 373-7080 or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com