When Laura Houston thinks of her friend Marlon Blue, she is reminded of his outgoing personality and his cheerfulness.

On a more personal level, Houston, an NIU student, said she is reminded of how he always was there for her whenever she needed someone to talk to. It’s the latter reason that’s making it harder for her to fully come to terms with Blue’s death this weekend, she said.

“We’re all pretty much in shock,” Houston said. “It’s all so surreal right now.”

Blue, 21, was a junior biology major. His body was found Sunday in a retention pond near the 1100 block of Hillcrest Drive.

Houston was the one who called police to report he was missing, after he disappeared early Saturday. On Sunday, she was at the pond while rescue workers searched the pond. A makeshift memorial now stands in the area.

Houston, who had known Blue for two years, described him as “a really good friend.”

“He was always there,” Houston said. “Whenever I needed someone to talk to, he was there for me.”

Blue’s friendship extended to many, Houston added.

“He has a lot of friends … He was very outgoing,” she said. “You could look forward to him saying something funny.”