Late Student Fondly Remembered By Friends

UConn student Peter Kyle James, 22, died Feb. 14, six weeks after being struck by a car in Massachusetts, according to The Boston Globe.

According to an e-mail sent to students by Vice President for Student Affairs John Saddlemire, James was a junior majoring in urban and community studies.

According to The Boston Globe, James was struck by a car while crossing Brookline Avenue in Brookline, Mass. on Jan. 1 after ringing in the New Year with friends. He broke both arms and one leg.

However, because James had cystic fibrosis, his lungs were weakened and he couldn't survive a bacterial infection, according to The Boston Globe.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the median age of survival for a person with Cystic Fibrosis is 37 years.

James D'Angelo, a 7th-semester journalism major and James' roommate, said James planned on getting his Master's degree at Harvard upon graduation.

"He wanted to go back to Boston and help the inner city [kids] as much as he [could], and he wanted to go back to school and get his masters at Harvard," D'Angelo said. "Those are the two main goals he had in mind."

James graduated from Brookline High School in Massachusetts in 2003. James listed the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox and UConn basketball as his favorite teams on his Facebook profile.

"He loved the UConn basketball team," D'Angelo said. "He also liked music a lot. His playlist was so great."

"It's hard to put into words the kind of person Peter was," said David Morse, an 8th-semester accounting major and James' close friend for three years. "He was a genuine guy. You could always go to him for problems and he would always give good advice. He didn't take life for granted."

"[Peter] had a very good heart," said Michelle Rausen, James' girlfriend. "He always had a smile on his face. He was also like my conscience because if I said something sarcastic or mean, he always knew when to whisper 'Be nice' to me."

According to a longtime friend, James knew everyone in high school.

"He was one of those very popular kids," said Stacie Connor, James' high school friend for six years. "He was friends with everyone. He knew all the teachers and not one person had anything bad to say about him. He could make anyone smile."

Although he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, Connor said James never made it known to strangers that he was sick. D'Angelo agreed.

"[You'd] never think of Pete having a disease because he was always in a good mood," said D'Angelo. "He was always laughing every time I saw him although he was dealing with a lot."

D'Angelo said that while cystic fibrosis was a big part of James' life, he never let it affect his personality.

"Peter would have to go home a lot when we lived together freshman year," Morse said. "But he never really openly talked about [his disease]. I would ask him questions but he wasn't labeled as [the sick guy]."

Rausen said James' parents are doing well.

"They are doing amazingly well for what is happening," she said. "They are the strongest people I've ever met."

A celebration of James' life will be held in the First Parish Church in Brookline, Mass. on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. Donations in James' memory can be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, One Bullfinch Place, 2nd floor, Boston, 02114.

02114.