A young Australian student who died suddenly while working in the UK has been remembered as a “true gentleman who inspired many” as his devastated classmates launched a fundraiser to bring him home.
Jack Ryan, 18, was working at Dulwich Cranbrook School in Kent, south-east England, as part of the popular gap year programme Letz Live when he collapsed in the bathroom of his accommodation last week.
The cause of her death is still unknown and her father, Peter, is flying to the UK to find out what happened.
Mr Ryan was an accomplished cricket and rugby player who graduated from King’s School in Parramatta, western Sydney, last year.
She had accepted a place at Newcastle University to study teaching after her gap year, but was also considering settling on the Sunshine Coast to be close to her family and start a trade.
His devastated school friends have created a GoFundMe page to “bring him home”which has so far raised nearly $40,000.
James Peters, who was Mr Ryan’s residence manager at Macarthur Waddy House, described him as an “excellent cricketer” and said he was “always willing to serve others”.
Jack Ryan (pictured with his mother Kate), 18, was working at Dulwich Cranbrook School in Kent, south-east England, as part of the popular gap year programme Letz Live when he collapsed in the bathroom of his accommodation there last week.
Mr Ryan was an accomplished cricket and rugby player who graduated from King’s School in Parramatta, western Sydney, last year.
“He was one of the loveliest kids to come through the school,” Peters told Daily Mail Australia.
‘He arrived in year 11 and in three semesters he had already made the house his own.
“He was elected vice-captain of the MacArthur Waddy House, which is pretty incredible in such a short space of time.”
‘He always sought to serve his fellow students and improve himself at the boarding house.’
Mr Ryan’s mother, Kate, thanked those who had donated to the fundraiser and offered her family support.
“We didn’t realize he had touched so many lives,” he said.
Mr Ryan’s grandfather, James, described him as a “confident, honest, trusting, loving, kind, loyal and caring man whom many fortunate individuals came to call a companion”.
Mr Ryan’s grandfather James described him as a “confident, honest, trusting, loving, kind, loyal and caring man whom many fortunate people came to call a mate”.
Pictured: Mr Ryan with his mother Kate, younger brother Tommy and father Peter at a school function.
“I realised that he had become the product of input from so many sources: his loving parents, his brother and his forebears, the knowledge of Bolwarra Primary, HV Grammar, Kings College and his Macarthur Waddy family, together with his innate decency, his talent, his sociable nature and his spontaneity,” she wrote in a touching online tribute.
Prior to attending King’s, Mr Ryan attended Hunter Valley Grammar School, where he played rugby for the Maitland Blacks and Northern Suburbs Cricket Club.
“A true gentleman who inspired many, on and off the pitch,” the club said in a statement.
‘Jack will always be deeply missed by all those who had the privilege of knowing him.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Letz Live, Cranbrook Dulwich School and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.
