Father remembers KSU student found dead Monday

The father of a Kent State student found dead Monday remembered his son as a quiet kid who enjoyed computer programming and tutoring students in math.

Kyle Meehan was a senior computer science major, Kent State spokeswoman Emily Vincent confirmed. The Cuyahoga County medical examiner has ruled the 21-year-old’s death a suicide. He was found near Stones Levee in the Flats area of Cleveland on Monday.

David Meehan said his son was active in the honors program at Kent State.

“He really loved the honors dorm, and he loved the activities that they would do in the lounge,” he said.

His son also enjoyed helping other students academically, David Meehan said.

“Kyle was very active in math tutoring at the library,” he said. “He enjoyed helping kids there and working there.”

A 2011 Olmsted Falls High School graduate, Kyle Meehan had been preparing for a computer programming career, his father said.

“He enjoyed computer programming, and he was also on the competition for the computer science program that went to different universities,” he said. “He enjoyed competing in that and being part of that team.”

Kyle Meehan enjoyed hanging out with friends and going to movies with them, his father said.

“He was somewhat of a quiet kid and he kept to himself a fair amount, but there’s a few people that he really enjoyed being with,” he said.

Breanna Fitzpatrick, a senior speech pathology and audiology major and friend of Kyle Meehan’s, declined to comment other than wanting to tell people “to cherish their friends and to never take them for granted.”

Kyle Meehan’s obituary in the Plain Dealer Wednesday said that in addition to his father, he is survived by his mother, Beth, brothers Eric and Kevin, grandparents LaVerne and James Meehan, and several aunts and uncles.

According to the obituary, there will be a memorial service Saturday, March 22 at Olmsted Community Church (7853 Main St. Olmsted Falls, OH 44138) at 1:30 p.m. where family will receive friends following services Saturday afternoon.

Contact Carrie Blazina at [email protected]