The 19-year-old student who died in residence Feb. 11 was an “amazing guy,” friends said.
The second-year commerce student, identified as Jon by his friends, “always had a smile on his face,” said close friend Wesley Solmon.
“He was always happy and always made everyone else around him feel the same,” he said.
Jon’s girlfriend, Kelsey, said the the two met after hanging out together with friends in Prescott House.
Kelsey, a first-year psychology student, said she and Jon “instantly clicked” and started dating in October.
“We were best friends instantly, hung out, talked, and texted all the time,” she said. “He was both an amazing best friend and boyfriend.”
Many of their floor’s residents loved doing things together and were “just like one big family,” she said.
Kelsey said Jon loved going out to clubs, or “anywhere [they] could go dancing.”
“He would dance like nobody’s watching and would dance without a care in the world,” she said.
Ottawa police said no foul play was suspected and they are not releasing any additional information. Students living in Prescott said it was a suicide.
Students held a campus-wide moment of silence Feb. 13. Dozens gathered outside Prescott and held hands, while others congregated in the Unicentre atrium.
The university made an announcement through the MyCarleton Portal Feb. 12, encouraging students to contact university safety for counselling services over the weekend, or health and counselling services during the week.
The Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) and the Carleton University Students’ Association provided peer counselling for students Feb. 12 in the RRRA offices.
A lot of students came in to use the service, said RRRA president Kaisha Thompson.
“There was a visible kind of distressed environment, in Prescott especially, but also throughout residence,” she said.
RRRA is collecting cards signed by students to send to Jon’s family. Students can sign the cards in the RRRA office during the week between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Kelsey said she thinks Jon would have been in awe of the support the university community has shown.
“We’re seeing how many people truly cared about him, more than I think he knew,” she said. “It’s amazing to see, but it’s unfortunate that it takes a tragedy like this to see how many people truly cared about him.”
