Pirelli, who majored in criminal justice at Northeastern University, was remembered at a funeral Mass as a humble, honest, and dependable man. He was also praised as energetic and passionate hockey player. "He gave it everything he had on the ice," said Chris Pelley, who played high school hockey with Pirelli. "But he did that with everything in life." Pirelli, a Green Beret, was killed by small-arms fire on Aug. 15, 2007.