Melvin's Legacy: Community Mourns Lost Student

0:00It's April 27, Hartford News Today starts now. AI powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. A 15-year-old student named Melvin OCL Duarte Garcia passed away on Sunday, and the consolidated school district of New Britain announced it on Monday. He attended Catalyst Academy and had previously gone to Slade Middle School, where folks are feeling the loss hard. To help everyone cope, the district is bringing in grief counselors and support staff at both schools, starting now. Officials are urging parents to talk with their kids and reach out to the school office if extra help seems needed. Students and staff remember Melvin as a bright, strong-willed kid with a killer sense of humor that lit up the place. He showed respect to everyone, had real insight and warmth, and built strong bonds with family and friends, making the whole community better. Principles at Catalyst Academy shared how deeply he touched lives, calling him kindhearted and one whose presence brought joy and left a lasting mark. On all who knew him, memorial services are set for Thursday evening and Friday morning

1:03at Shaker Hill Funeral Home on Farmington Avenue as the school community keeps, supporting his family through this tough time.