Outside a Long Island dance studio, where Emily Finn spent much of her youth, trees were adorned with colorful decorations, and her close friends placed pink ribbons there on Saturday in tribute.
This act of remembrance came from a group of young dancers at Bayport’s American Ballet Studio. Among them were three young women who expressed their intention to get tattoos as a way to honor Finn and their bond with her.
Caitlin Gutterwill, 18, Bryn Baran, 18, and Maya Truglio, 16—who referred to Finn affectionately as “Emmy”—shared that they were still coming to terms with her tragic death, allegedly caused by her ex-boyfriend.
“She was just the greatest person ever, and it’s really hard to believe she’s gone,” Baran said.
Pink was selected for the ribbons as it was Finn’s favorite color.
Friends and family are set to gather in Sayville for Finn’s wake on Sunday, with her funeral scheduled for Monday morning.
Finn, a graduate of Sayville High School and a passionate dancer, lost her life on Wednesday at the home of Austin Lynch in Nesconset, where she had gone to return belongings, according to police reports.
Lynch, 17, is believed to have taken Finn’s life before attempting to end his own. He survived the incident and is expected to face charges of second-degree murder, as revealed by Suffolk County police.
Close friends mentioned that Finn had recently started her studies to become a teacher at SUNY Oneonta and often shared her aspirations.
The girls reminisced about the small daily rituals that bonded them with Finn—mall trips, coffee dates, beach days, and concerts—all of which now seem so precious.
“She had such a zest for life; it really felt like she was always full of energy,” Gutterwill reflected.
In the previous year, Finn held the lead in the studio’s production of “The Nutcracker,” and friends remember her as someone who would effortlessly support others backstage.
“If you needed help with a costume or a prop, Emily was the go-to person,” Gutterwill noted.
Baran recalled her as someone incredibly crafty and capable, saying, “Emily could bake anything and do any project. She was truly patient and independent.”
Ranora Truglio, 48, a teacher whose daughter Maya will dance in Finn’s previous role, expressed the grief among the children in the dance community. “They are heartbroken. We’ve lost a beloved dance partner and friend. We’re uniting as a community to mourn Emily and uphold her spirit,” she said.
The dance community plans to dedicate this year’s “Nutcracker” performance to Finn, hoping it helps the children start to heal.
The girls are resolved to carry Finn’s spirit with them in everything they do moving forward.
“We find it hard to express the depth of our feelings; it’s just… forever in everything,” Truglio conveyed.
As a symbol of their connection, the trio plans to get tattoos to represent their group chat titled “Oh Sugar.”
Mr. Ballan, another friend, also memorialized Finn with a tattoo on his arm that features the phrase “Love, Emmy,” directly taken from a note written by her.
