On November 30, Shane McCarthy ’21, the youngest son of Director of Food Services Michael McCarthy and Circulation & Interlibrary Loan Assistant Angela McCarthy, passed away in Boston, MA due to complications from bacterial meningitis, according to an obituary published on Boston. com.
At the time of his death, McCarthy was in his junior year at Northeastern University as a Business Management major, with a focus on entrepreneurial startups. McCarthy, born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, on June 27, 2002, attended Greenfield Public School from kindergarten through sixth grade before attending the Eaglebrook School. After graduating in 2018, McCarthy attended Deerfield, graduating as a member of the class of 2021.
Besides his parents, McCarthy is survived by his brother Colin, with whom he shared a special bond “that is impossible to put into words,” as described by Boston.com.
The family will be establishing a “A Brother’s Bond” scholarship fund in McCarthy’s memory that will also honor his love for his brother Colin.
While at Deerfield, McCarthy was a four-year player on the Ultimate Frisbee team and a captain during his senior year. “Passionate and devoted to ‘serious play,’ Shane literally threw himself into every game,” wrote his coaches, History and Social Science Teacher Mary Ellen Friends and Computer Science Teacher Aidan Carroll. They added, “In his senior year, Shane captained the team with grace, good will, and fine athleticism. He was just as passionate and competitive as he had been earlier in his career, and he added to those attributes a commitment to Spirit of the Game.” They emphasized how, “under Shane’s leadership, the Deerfield team stood out among peer schools for sportsmanship and spirited play.”
Dr. Friends and Mr. Carroll recalled one particular game on a rainy day during McCarthy’s sophomore year: “It was Day 2 of a five-game, two-day tournament, and the players’ cleats had turned the field into one big swath of slippery mud. … In the pouring, cold rain, with a mud-slicked disk in his hand, Shane gave us a huge smile, took the lead, and energized the whole team with his forceful play.”
Dr. Friends and Mr. Carroll continued their tribute, adding, “Even when he was in college, Shane did not forget us. When his vacation schedule matched our game times, he came down to the field to cheer us on. We remember, during one such visit when the game was not going very well for us, we joked that we should get a jersey for him and put him on the field. A younger Shane might have jumped at the chance, but he just looked out to the field, assessed the situation, and said, ‘I think they look good. They’re turning it around right now.’ Shane was right, and the players did turn it around. In his spirited but gracious way, he deflected the praise we had offered and put the focus on the team. In seasons to come, D.A. will have Shane there with us, on the edge of the field, cheering on his team.”
Language Teacher Dan Houston, who was McCarthy’s advisor, gave a testament to his character. “Shane was independent and resolute, entirely his own man, even as a freshman,” he wrote. “And he was very funny. He never missed a beat in our banter. His wit was razor sharp. But most of all, he was capable of the most natural, open-hearted love of others. He was so sweet and so genuinely kind. We’ll celebrate him for what he was: a gentle soul, a scholar, and a young man who brought light to many lives.”
Calling hours for McCarthy were held Wednesday, December 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kidder Funeral Home in Northfield. The funeral service took place on Thursday, December 7, at 11 a.m. at The United Church of Bernardston followed by a burial at the Center Cemetery.