I’ve been teaching voice and drama for going on a decade now. From my experience, boys like Alex are exceptionally rare. He was the kind of kid that exuded empathy, sensitivity, and kindness. It was just his nature. 

I was lucky enough to have served as Alex’s music director during Frozen, Lion King, and Legally Blonde at Longfellow. When he got up to audition for Lion King, I remember thinking to myself “oh yeah! Alex was in our ensemble last year. He did a nice job!” Please keep in mind that Longfellow is a big school with ensembles that are 50+ kids in size. It is difficult to stand out in the crowd when surrounded by that much talent. However, that Lion King audition… When he opened his mouth to sing, I felt myself immediately getting incredibly emotional.  He had selected “Fight the Dragons” from Big Fish, a song in which a father tells his son about all the adventures he’s been on and the lengths he’d go to protect his kid and make him happy. I have a sentimental attachment to this particular piece because of my own relationship with my father, and I couldn’t believe how well I was hearing it sung from the mouth of a seventh grader. It was clear that he understood the song too. After I wiped my eyes, I asked him where a kid his age would have even found a song like that. His response? “My dad stayed up and picked it for me and worked on it with me. When I sang it for him, he cried too.” This was the relationship between Alex and his father- something I never saw first hand but heard about regularly. That shared love and care and understanding between Alex and his dad and their love for the theatre helped his gift shine on our stage. This was particularly true in his depiction of Simba. I pushed Alex to emotionally dig deep in playing a character with a similar tie to his father, and in spite of his young age, he completely understood and left me crying on my long commute home to Chicago on more than one occasion. This was a kid who didn’t just understand the fragile, gentle, and inherently good and soft way that all people are when you strip them of their stressors, differences, and insecurities. He was able to SHARE that kindness and understanding through artistic expression, and for a KID to be able to do that? Now that is a rare thing. 

I loved talking to this young man about The Beatles, theatre, his guitar at home, etc. I think the last band I told him to check out was The Cure. The thing about Alex was that no matter what you were telling him or listening to him talk about, he was grateful and excited to be having a conversation. The world is a lesser place without Alex’s light. We would all do well to continue to hold it in our hearts and keep it shining, for I truly believe it makes the world a kinder and more generous place. 

I chaperoned the 8th grade French field trip and often sat at the same table with Alex. Alex would help me with how to say things like “pass the salt” in French and we laughed together at my struggle to say anything in French. 

Two weeks ago I chaperoned the LA orchestra field trip and we chatted and talked about French. Alex was so kind and talented and so easy to talk to. I am so sorry for your loss.