It’s no secret that friends at Trinity-Pawling become brothers for life. Zach Silva ’10, Tony Lai ’10, and Paul Huenke ’09 can certainly attest to that. The alumni trio recently reunited in Guangzhou, China for Lai’s wedding, where Silva and Huenke proudly stood beside him as his groomsmen. For Silva, the experience was unforgettable.
Silva, Lai, and Huenke first met during the 2007-2008 Trinity-Pawling school year, sharing various classes, sports, and extra-curriculars. Silva and Lai also grew close over the shorter holiday breaks. “Since it was difficult at times for Tony to go all the way home, he would spend those shorter vacations at home with my family,” Silva explained. “He would cook some of the best dishes for us!”
After graduating in 2010, Silva traveled to China with Lai to visit his family in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. Little did he know at the time, it would not be all that long before he returned to Guangzhou with his Trinity-Pawling brothers.
Just last month, Silva and Huenke traded their Trinity-Pawling blue blazers for traditional groomsmen robes, as they stood beside Tony and his bride, Yeshen, on their wedding day. “I felt so honored to be chosen as a part of Tony’s wedding party! It was my first time ever in the role of groomsman,” shared Silva. “Tony presented all of us with traditional black robes and ornate fans with personalized inscriptions, both of which have become two of my most treasured items.”
The wedding celebrations gave the three young men a chance to reconnect in person and reminisce on their days in the Pride, where it all started. “Every chance I get to reconnect with a T-P brother is special,” stated Silva. “It reminds me of how supportive the T-P brotherhood really is and always will be, regardless of how long it may be in between visits.” Even better, the trio was able to share words of wisdom with Lai’s younger brother, Scott, who will be starting at Trinity-Pawling this fall. The brotherhood lives on.