On a graduation trip to Greece, two Irish teenagers dubbed “shining stars” passed away within days of one another, with one falling after learning of his friend’s tragic demise.
The BBC reported on Wednesday that Andrew O’Donnell and Max Wall, both 18 years old, passed away over the weekend on the island of Ios.
The Independent reports that O’Donnell’s body, who went missing Friday night, was discovered on Sunday in a rocky location beneath a cliff.
Meanwhile, according to Mail Online, Wall used his final hours to manufacture posters for his missing pal.
Before learning of O’Donnell’s passing, the adolescent distributed flyers across the community. After that, she made the decision to go home and grieve.
However, the BBC said that as Wall waited for a ferry to leave for his first leg of the journey, he unexpectedly passed out at the port of Ios.
The children flew to the Greek islands with a group of roughly 90 pupils from St Michael’s College in Dublin to celebrate the completion of their final exams.
According to the Independent, many of the boys’ classmates formed a loose honor guard as the remains of the tragic youths were transported by hearse to the Ios port before being transported by boat to Athens for post-mortem exams.
The outcome will impact how the Greek authorities conduct their inquiries.
O’Donnell’s body exhibited injuries from a fall, while officials believe Wall’s death may be linked to a pre-existing health condition that had required heart surgery years ago.
Two officers from Ireland’s An Garda Sióchána also traveled to Greece to assist with the probe, the BBC said.
“We are heartbroken. We have a very tight-knit community and these are two fantastic young men with their lives ahead of them,” St. Michael’s principal Tim Kelleher told RTÉ.
“These two lads were shining stars – academically, sporting, loads of friends. Andrew was a really good soccer player and Max a great rugby player. They were disciplined about their sport and themselves. It’s just so tragic,” Kelleher told the Independent.
