From his passion for global politics to his talent for playing the guitar, Northwestern graduate student Leonel Macario Hernandez-Reyna is fondly remembered by friends as a well-rounded young man with a magnetic personality.

About 100 people attended a memorial service held Thursday afternoon at the Technological Institute for Hernandez-Reyna, who was killed Dec. 28 in a car accident while driving through Bellevue, Wis.

Hernandez-Reyna, 30, had been a student in the department of engineering sciences and applied mathematics since 1997.

“His friendship made the world a better place for me,” said DePaul University Prof. Pablo Gomez, a friend of Hernandez-Reyna’s. “He always had witty commentary and a contagious laugh, and having good times with him was not hard.”

Hernandez-Reyna came to Chicago from Mexico City, where his family lives, for his education.

He was driving to Green Bay, Wis., with his friend Christopher Wahle when the car skidded out of control because of bad weather conditions and crashed into a concrete barrier.

Wahle, also an NU graduate student, was driving the car and survived the crash.

“I spent the last few hours of (Hernandez-Reyna’s) life with him, and at that time he was happy and in good spirits,” Wahle said. “He was enjoying life and making me laugh up until his last few seconds.”

Hernandez-Reyna was accompanying Wahle on a visit to friends and family, and Wahle said everyone had been looking forward to seeing Hernandez-Reyna.

“I hope you can all remember him in a positive way, because there is really no other way to remember him,” Wahle said. “His good qualities were endless.”

Hernandez-Reyna was deeply involved with NU’s Latino community, and his service was attended by several Alianza members. He also played the guitar, enjoyed poetry and hosted a radio show on WNUR-FM (89.3).

“He was well-rounded and a probing intellect,” applied mathematics Prof. Alvin Bayliss said. “Although he will be so missed, he also enriched our lives, and we should be thankful for that.”

There were some difficulties in contacting Hernandez-Reyna’s family in Mexico City because they don’t speak English, Bayliss said. He said he would be sending his personal remarks about Hernandez-Reyna to the family and invited others to add their comments to his package.

A few students broke into tears while sharing their memories of Hernandez-Reyna, who was considered a role model for younger members of the NU Latino community.

University Chaplain Timothy Stevens offered some words of comfort.

“One of the great mysteries of human existence is the impact of one life on another,” Stevens said. “We grieve his untimely death because he had so much to give and so much to accomplish, but we remember him with gratitude. Let us be thankful for his life and the joy he brought to his family and friends.”

A two-hour WNUR radio show at 10 p.m. Sunday will be dedicated to Hernandez-Reyna.