‘Unconditional kindness’: A tribute to late student Federico ‘Fede’ Barrera

Federico “Fede” Barrera, a first-year student at Brown known for his incredible kindness and knowledge, passed away on March 7. At Brown, he was studying math and engineering and possessed an academic passion that was deeply admired by friends and professors. 

Barrera will be remembered as a devoted brother, friend and student who left a lasting impression on the Brown community, even despite his short time on campus. He passed away in the hospital with his family by his side.

Though his family is from Argentina, Barrera spent his early childhood in Omaha, Nebraska, alongside his younger brother, Santiago Barrera ’28. Some of Santiago Barrera’s favorite memories with his older brother are from this time, when they would bike around their neighborhood and explore the surrounding nature.

“We were super close,” Santiago Barrera said. “Waking up together, going to bed together, playing together.”

Despite Barrera being only a year and a half older, he was “very protective” of Santiago Barrera. “He was the best big brother you could ask for,” Santiago Barrera told The Herald.

After their family moved to Madison, Connecticut in 2016, the two brothers drifted apart, attending different schools. But Barrera continued to support his younger brother Santiago Barrera, helping him with assignments, projects and, later, the college application process.

“I owe him a lot of my academic success,” Santiago Barrera said. 

In high school, the older Barrera took classes at Wesleyan University in addition to his regular coursework and had a special talent for math. He also received a number of awards for his proficiency in writing and language, including the state’s Seal of Biliteracy in both Spanish and French. Outside of the classroom, he loved to play music, including guitar, piano, cello and quena — a traditional flute from the Andes region. Argentinian folk and classic rock were his favorite genres, and he especially enjoyed music from bands Pink Floyd and Dire Straits.

He also liked singing — or at least, “trying to,” Santiago Barrera said with a laugh. “He wasn’t that great.”

Santiago Barrera said he remembered his older brother being admitted to a number of top schools, but trying to keep it a secret from his friends.

“He pushed down a lot of his accomplishments in a way,” Santiago Barrera said. “I wish he didn’t. I wish he was more happy about what he had done.”

This humility was echoed by all of Barrera’s friends who shared memories of him with The Herald. 

At Brown, Barrera was constantly searching for ways to challenge himself. “He took all these crazy math classes his freshman fall that sounded impossible and terrible,” said Jim Kaplan ’28, Barrera’s roommate in Andrews Hall. “He never complained about work.”

But his can-do attitude was not limited to his schoolwork. Barrera seemed to never complain about anything, his friends said. He was described as approaching life with constant curiosity and a smile on his face. At Brown, Barrera discovered an interest in philosophy and theology, often eager to share his thoughts and observations in conversations with friends. 

“It was so magical to talk with him,” said Mario Joyo ’28, a close friend of Barrera. “We would begin with a lightweight conversation, then go into something more profound, something more reflective. But you also felt like it wasn’t forced. It would just flow naturally.”

In class, Barrera was described by three of his professors as quiet but passionate. He “asked good questions in class,” shared Yue Qi, a professor of engineering. 

Benjamin Dees, an assistant professor of mathematics, wrote in an email to The Herald that Barrera was “an enthusiastic and dedicated student, whose interest in mathematics extended beyond our course.”

“Sometimes in office hours, he’d have a question about the higher-dimensional versions of Stokes’s theorem, or about other courses in the department, which is always wonderful,” Dees wrote. “It’s that spirit of inquiry that really helps people get deeply invested in the subjects of their choice, and I had the sense that Federico had a lot of that investment and passion.”

Joyo also noted that Barrera was an extremely dedicated student. When stuck on a problem, he would try “over and over again with different methods,” despite Joyo having long given up. 

Kaplan added that Barrera “was always doing work with a smile.”

Eric Vartany ’28 and Kalen Browne ’28, who lived on the same floor as Barrera and shared classes with him, both admired his dedication to learning and academic discipline. Browne said that even when working on problem sets with his classmates at 2 a.m., Barrera was “still smiling through the process, always eager to learn and help all of his friends.” 

“He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever met,” Kaplan said.

Beyond the classroom, Barrera cast a wide net: He was a part of the chess, debate, math and fencing teams. Joyo added that Barrera was particularly interested in conducting research on the intersection between economics and religion. 

According to Vartany, one of Barrera’s routines was always waking up early to swim for an hour, regardless of what his schedule looked like.

“No matter what he was doing, no matter how busy he was, he would always dedicate the time to doing things that he enjoyed and brought him happiness,” Vartany said. 

But before mentioning his intelligence, the first word all of his friends — and brother — used to describe Barrera was “kind.”

“When I think of him, I think of unconditional kindness towards everyone,” Santiago Barrera said.

“I remember just thinking I could tell he was going to be a good roommate,” Kaplan said when reflecting on when they first met. “He just was very respectful, very comfortable to talk to and that stayed true throughout the whole year.”

The two of them would frequently study at the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library together, when Barrera would often brew tea from scratch. 

“He had an electric kettle, and he made me coffee from scratch one morning, which was crazy and totally an unnecessary kind gesture,” Kaplan added. “It was so sweet and distinct.”

Santiago Barrera also shared how many of his memories with his older brother revolved around tea. On weekend mornings, they would sit on the Main Green together and talk, always with a cup of mate. 

Barrera enjoyed connecting with his Argentinian roots. His fluency in Spanish was what first captivated Joyo when the two of them met “by accident” one night at Josiah’s. “I was really amazed about how well-versed he was,” Joyo said.

Joyo said that the two became very close, very fast. Over winter break, Joyo spent a few days at the Barreras’ house in Madison, where Barrera showed him around his hometown. They snuck into a nearby dam, and Barrera taught him how to skip stones. 

“He told me what were the good stones, how you should do it, how you have to rotate it with your finger,” Joyo recalled. 

When the two of them drove back to Brown, Barrera told Joyo he needed to stop by the supermarket to pick up a few groceries. When Barrera returned to the car, he handed Joyo a Nesquik box. 

“It was because he overheard me saying that this was my favorite childhood drink,” Joyo said.

Joyo was constantly impressed by Barrera’s attentiveness. “He was able to really listen and pay attention to those small details of people and hold on to them,” he said. “He liked … to try to show you that he was listening to you, and that was something that I really admired.” 

Vartany and Browne, who were roommates last year, shared a story about how Barrera had repeatedly called one of their friends by the wrong name. Having seen the name “Mark” on their door, Barrera repeatedly referred to this friend as Mark, assuming he was Vartany and Browne’s third roommate. When Vartany finally broke the news that the friend was not named Mark, he said Barrera “was so devastated” and angry at himself. 

“He was someone who would give so much and then expect nothing in return,” Kaplan said.

After his passing, the University held a gathering for members of the Brown community on March 12. “A lot of people came,” Joyo said. “He was loved by so many people.” 

News of Barrera’s passing came as a shock to his friends at Brown. “I remember it just feeling not real,” Kaplan said. “My parents came. It was all very strange, and it took a very long time to sink in.”

Many of his friends continued to meet after the gathering to share memories of Barrera. To this day, his absence is felt on campus. For Kaplan, who took time off in the spring after Barrera’s passing, coming back to Brown has been “harder in a different way, like a slower way.”

Browne described how it was “hard to go into the lounge, because that’s where I knew I’d always see him. Every time you walk through that door, you’re kind of expecting to see him again.” 

Now, Browne is a Community Coordinator in Andrews and still avoids going into the lounge.

Barrera was “a light,” Browne said, bringing positive energy to “any room he was in.” He cared deeply for others, and wanted them to feel that care.

“He was just memorable,” Joyo said.

When Santiago Barrera thinks of his older brother now, he pictures the duo “just sitting” and chatting.

“Sometimes at home, sometimes by the river. But with mate, and again, conversing.”

Correction: The article was updated to accurately reflect the date of Barrera's passing.