'Such a good boy': Somerset 9-year-old who drowned remembered for acts of kindness
SOMERSET — One of Keven Arruda’s last acts as a student was typically uplifting. He embraced an assignment from his North Elementary School grade 3 teachers to write a letter to an incoming 2022-23 third-grader, letting her or him know what great things to expect.
He wrote to the new third-grader not to be nervous, but to expect to do exciting things. He said MCAS tests are no big deal if you pay attention in school. He even offered multiplication tips. He signed the letter, “Former Third Grader Keven.”
That was a month ago, just before the start of summer vacation.
On Tuesday, at Easton's Beach in Newport, Rhode Island, Arruda, 9, was caught in a rip current. Pulled from the water by lifeguards, he was unresponsive. He was put on life support. Keven died at 1:42 p.m. on Thursday at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence.
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Keven was the son of Dennis Arruda Jr. and Bethany Arruda. Keven’s brother Clay just graduated from North to sixth grade at the middle school, and his sister Kaylee is entering kindergarten at North.
“I can’t even imagine,” said North Elementary Principal Paula Manchester, who was in contact with the family starting late Thursday morning. “You’re going to the beach one day, you think it will be great, and that happens.”
Manchester said the family had been at the popular Easton's Beach about 20 minutes when tragedy struck.
“Such a good boy,” Manchester said. “He was friendly with everyone. He loved science. He liked making things. He was very inquisitive. He was a role model.”
Stacey Ashton, one of Keven’s third-grade co-teachers, described him as a fabulous student who loved history, science and drawing; an avid reader; a master of his multiplication tables; a student who would do everything asked of him.
“Most importantly,” she said. “He was a sweet, kind soul who had a quiet way of including others.”
The 2021-22 school year was the Arruda family’s first in the district, Manchester said.
Keven’s aunt, Liz Heald, has set up a GoFundMe page to help the Arrudas with upcoming expenses.
“Oh my God, it’s so sad,” said Somerset Superintendent of Schools Jeff Schoonover, who on Tuesday emailed a letter to school district families telling them about Keven Arruda’s death.
Composing such letters is nothing new to Schoonover.
“The last six years or so, it must be, counting current and recent graduates, it’s got to be somewhere around eight to 10 kids” have died, he said.
Schoonover said the school will soon be offering counseling to students to help them cope with the loss.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Somerset 9-year-old boy drowns at Easton's Beach in Newport
