Brendan Shay, a Darien High School graduate of the class of 2008, died in the intensive care unit at Stamford Hospital Monday night following a weekend accident.
Shay was a sophomore at Curry College in Massachusetts and was home for the Easter holiday. He would have celebrated his 20th birthday in just two weeks.
The news comes as a shock to all and has hit DHS students and faculty particularly hard, said Superintendent of Schools Don Fiftal.
"It's always sad to lose a young person, especially a Darien student—I feel that extra twinge of sadness," said Fiftal.
Shay's younger brothers, Luc and Collin, both attend the public schools. Guidance counselors and faculty have been made aware of the news and are available to support all students who may be struggling, said Fiftal.
Those close to Shay said he was a soft-spoken and compassionate young man.
"His quick, dry, faultless wit belied his intelligence," reads his obituary.
Shay, described as a real family guy and avid outdoorsman, loved snowboarding, fishing off the shores of Rhode Island and Long Island Sound, skate boarding, snowboarding and playing hockey—always in the company of his friends and close relatives.
Brendan is survived by his parents, Sean and Betsy Shay, and his younger brothers, Luc and Collin, along with his grandmothers, Monique Shay of Woodbury and Gail Kirhoffer of Stamford.
Callings will be held at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home this Friday, April 9 from 4 to 8 p.m. A funeral will be held the following morning, 11 a.m. at St. John's.
Family members ask that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to The Darien Land Trust, P.O. Box 1074, Darien, Conn. 06820.
Police would not provide details but said the accident that led to Shay's death is under investigation.
Shay died on Monday, and an autopsy was conducted by the State of Connecticut Medical Examiner’s Office on Tuesday. The results have not been released at this point. The incident remains under investigation by the Darien Police Detective Division, as to whether or not there were "activities or events that may have contributed to Shay’s death," police said in a release. At this point police say there is no evidence to suggest any foul play.