He’s been dubbed the unofficial super fan at Notre Dame Prep High School, touching the hearts of students for decades.
If you’ve had any contact with NDP, chances are you know who Brother Louis Plourde is. He’s at every event with a smile on his face and always a kind word to make sure you know just how important you are.
“It’s the people I love of Notre Dame Prep and the people you love I think are first and you put yourself second,” Brother Louis said.
The luck of the Irish is nothing at Notre Dame Prep without the heart of Brother Louis. He says he’s wanted to be a Brother since his First Communion.
His devotion to a life of service began in Boston, but Brother Louis now calls Detroit his home.
“My provincial superior asked if I wanted to come to Detroit in 1982 and I said yes,” he said.
A decision that would help shape the lives of tens of thousands of teens, many now grown, for decades to come.
“24 years at Notre Dame Prep and before that 12 years at Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods.”
His official job?
“I do all the copying for the school,” Brother Louis said.
But he’s racked up a few other titles as well.
“They call me the number one fan of the students,” He said.
“He’s the backbone and the heartbeat of our school,” NDP Alumni and current teacher Molly Campbell said.
“He’s an inspiration to everyone,” Sophomore Katie Topoleski said.
“I can always count on him and rely on him to have my back,” Junior Michael Winiarski said.
Brother Louis coined his super fan status decades ago.
“He comes to every single one of our events, our competitions, our football games for all the sports not just cheerleading and he never fails to put a smile on your face when you walk past him and he knows everyone’s name and he’s always saying hi,” Topoleski said.
If it’s a Notre Dame Prep event from band, to theater or sports, no matter what time and no matter their skills, Brother Louis shows these kids they are loved and they are worthy.
“He really puts everyone before himself, I don’t even know if he goes home at night. I just feel like he’s always here, always at a sporting event, he’s at the banquets or he shows up at practice or he’s walking around the hallways he’s just everywhere,” Campbell said.
“We’ve often said that some of the rest of us could disappear and they wouldn’t notice but as long as Brother Louis is doing well,” Fr. Joe Hindelang, s.m. said.
Because during what can be a tough four years of high school, these students know one walk down to the copy room and even just one minute with Brother Louis, he’ll drop everything and make them feel like the most important person in the world.
“I think when you’re loved you become a loving person,” Brother Louis said.
A lesson Brother Louis teaches by example.
