Sacred Heart University Mourning Death Of 19-Year-Old Student

FAIRFIELD, CT — Sacred Heart University is mourning one of its own after freshman Peter DeSalvo died over the weekend.

"The Sacred Heart University family tragically lost a brother," said the Twitter account padre@SHU, which is affiliated with the college's campus ministry program. "May the angels lead him into paradise, rescue [him] and take him to the holy and eternal city."

A memorial service is planned for 12:30 p.m. Monday at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, according to a Facebook post from Sacred Heart X-Men R.F.C., the school's men's rugby club team, of which DeSalvo was a member. The post described DeSalvo as "a cheerful freshmen who brought his all day in and day out on and off the pitch."

Sacred Heart communications director Deb Noack told the Fairfield Citizen that counseling will be available for members of the school community and that the university flag has been lowered to half staff.

DeSalvo, 19, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, died Saturday in New York City after he jumped off the Vessel, a new landmark in Hudson Yards, according to the New York Post.