On Friday, the second of November, tragedy struck the small town of Darien when Andrew Roach, 19, took his life. Behind him, he left a family and a short-lived lifetime of youth and friendships. He graduated from AITE in June, unable to complete the last year of his life.
Andrew was born on August 6th, 1993. He was introduced to the concept of death at the age of 7, when his mother died, leaving him with his father and two sisters.
He grew up in Darien, and attended high school here at AITE. Andrew was a volunteer fireman at the Round Hill Fire Company in Greenwich, which he began working at on December 7th of last year. After graduating from AITE in June 2012, he also graduated from the Stamford Regional Fire School. His life seemed to be more or less on track.
Andrew was a boy with a life and with friends just like any other teen. A hobby of his was sailing, which he did at the Cedar Point Yacht Club, and at Camp Sloane. His inspiration for becoming a firefighter was the tragedy of 9/11, in which his father was involved. He looked up to his father ever since then, when he helped get victims of the attack out of the rubble via setting up an enormous tool stand. After that, he attended more than one memorial for the event, and was inspired to do good for people. The Daily Voice quoted him as being “optimistic about the future.”
Like other unlucky teenagers nationwide, Andrew Roach suffered from depression for years. His family noticed a lack of interest to do anything. It came with much grief and little surprise when they discovered his fate.
Andrew Roach was just another face in these hallways last year, and just another boy in the town of Darien. Yet to some people, he was a son, a grandson, a brother, a nephew, a cousin, and a best friend. They choose to remember how he lived, not how he died.
Rest in peace, Andrew Roach.
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