Clemson family overcomes tragedy to honor beloved wife, mother
By all accounts, Michelle Pruitt Connelly ’87 was a ray of light in every room she entered. She met her husband, Chad Connelly ’85, a civil engineering major at Clemson University, when they were both Clemson Ambassadors and she was earning her degree in administrative management. She was a passionate and involved student body member, helping found Central Spirit and coordinating many service projects with her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi.
After earning their degrees, Chad and Michelle started a business that identified, trained and duplicated entrepreneurial efforts and small businesses. That led them to become motivational speakers, presenting their program in more than 40 states and four countries.
To an outside observer, it must have looked like Michelle was thriving. She had a beautiful family and a dream job positively impacting people’s lives. Sadly, depression is an insidious condition that can affect anybody, and Michelle was not immune. In an act that shocked everyone who knew her, she took her own life in 2006 at the heartbreakingly young age of 39.
“She was pure and genuine and just couldn’t imagine people purposely hurting one another,” Chad says. “It was the irony of ironies how much she hurt us by leaving us — but yet, in her mind, she was getting out of our way, thinking that her depression somehow held me and the boys back.”
Michelle’s three boys — Chad and sons CJ Connelly ’21 and Bennett Connelly ’23 — dedicated a bench to her that sits on one of the prettiest places on Clemson’s campus, in the shade of the giant oak trees in front of Tillman Hall, looking out over Bowman Field. It’s the exact spot where Chad and Michelle first told each other they loved one another. Years later, Bennett proposed to his wife, Alivia Grace Talley Connelly ’24, not far from the bench on Lover’s Lane. If you’re keeping track, that makes five Clemson graduates and counting in that family.
Chad remembers Michelle as one of the kindest, most compassionate and loving people he has ever met.
“She loved the Lord, the boys and me dearly — and her Clemson Tigers,” Chad says. “She left an indelible mark on everyone she met.”
CJ and Bennett remember their mom being gentle and calming when needed but having a silly streak that could pop out at any moment to match the energy of her young boys.
“I remember her being particularly playful,” CJ says. “She wasn’t afraid to dive into a mud pit with us or build a pillow fort.”
“She loved lifting others up and making people feel loved, noticed and nurtured. We honor her by treating others the same way.”
CJ Connelly ’21
Bennett remembers his mom as a dependable and loving presence who brought him comfort and peace.
“Her voice alone could calm your heart, and her compassion made you feel truly seen,” Bennett says. “She was the one I leaned on for everything. She wasn’t just my mom; she was my best friend.”
How does someone move on from something like that? Slowly, leaning on one’s faith, says Chad. A year after Michelle’s death, he met Dana, whose spouse had also died by suicide. They married in 2007 and have four kids between them: Chad’s two sons and Dana’s two daughters, Leigha Harbert ’20 and Summer Harbert ’24.
The new family of six bonded through their shared histories, and Dana became a second mom to CJ and Bennett. All four kids are Clemson graduates, which they say is a testament to the strength and legacy of both Michelle and Dana.
Today, Chad speaks in churches nationwide about Michelle, the ripple effects of depression “and the restoration found in God’s redemptive plans.”
It may seem like a bittersweet story, but the Connellys choose to turn their attention to the sweet. They all think of Michelle with warmth and love, focus on the light she brought into their lives, and live through the lessons she taught them in her best moments.
“She was an encourager,” CJ says. “She loved lifting others up and making people feel loved, noticed and nurtured. We honor her by treating others the same way.”
