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Superintendent of New Canaan Public Schools Bryan D. Luizzi thanked parents and students in an email on Sunday, Sept. 22, for the outpouring of support following the sudden death of Elliott Kropf, a senior at New Canaan High School.
Kropf was hit and killed by a train on Saturday, Sept. 14, around 11:30 p.m. at the Talmadge Hill station. Police do not suspect foul play in the teen's death.
Luizzi noted the outpouring of love and support following Kropf's death shows that the community has the power to help one another through difficult times. It's why he says the school system is working with groups to promote suicide prevention and mental health.
As a show of those efforts, New Canaan High School will hand out "We Don't Worry Alone" T-shirts at the school's football game on Friday, Sept. 27. The yellow shirts are free to students. Luizzi hopes the slogan will unite the community under a common cause: preventing another tragedy.
According to experts, it is important for each of us to honor Elliott in personal ways with our families, and at the same time be mindful not to unintentionally glorify the circumstances of his death, especially with younger members of our community. The outpouring of support has reflected the beauty and strength of New Canaan. At the same time, as difficult as it may be, we must now focus on prevention in our language and our actions, as research teaches us this is the best way to ensure we are not inadvertently contributing to any potential contagion.
A memorial service for Elliott Kropf is set for Monday, Sept. 23, at Weeburn Beach Club from noon until 4 p.m. A funeral service at St. Aloysius Parish will precede the memorial.
Kropf was a standout hockey player for the Rams, and his parents have asked Elliott's friends to bring their hockey sticks to the memorial service for a group photo. It's similar to a social media trend that began last week in which mourners posted pictures of hockey sticks outside their homes on social media with the hashtag "#SticksOutForElliott" to honor the teen.
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