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Next Friday (May 8) will mark two years since the on-campus drowning death of San Ramon Valley High School freshman Ben Curry, and while community members may be unable to console one another in a public gathering due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Curry family is inviting residents to share their love of Ben in a virtual vigil.
Launched in order to help provide residents with the opportunity to grieve with one another in a social distancing-conscious way, participants are encouraged to share loving memories, photos or videos about Ben on their social media accounts or the vigil’s special memorial website.
“Our goal is to make sure the community doesn’t forget about Ben. You know, he was barely 15 when he died and in such tragic circumstances,” Ben’s mother Karen Curry told DanvilleSanRamon.com. “It’s also to help the kids and the community grieve because some of them are still feeling the loss of someone so young.”
For the online vigil, the Currys encourage postings any time next Friday on Ben’s memorial webpage, which is active now.
Ben Curry drowned during his physical education class in the SRVHS pool on May 8, 2018 at the age of 15. Investigators determined Ben slipped underwater and became unresponsive sometime during his class, but the teen was not discovered submerged and unresponsive in the pool until the start of the next class, after the school’s lunch-period.
He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital that afternoon. The county coroner deemed Ben’s death an accidental drowning, and police determined there was no criminal negligence involved.
The Curry family later sued the school district and PE teacher Aaron Becker over Ben’s drowning. The wrongful-death lawsuit was settled three months ago with the district agreeing to pay $8 million to the Currys with no admission of liability for Ben’s death.
Last year, the family held a vigil in front of the Danville Library to commemorate Ben’s life and were joined by hundreds of loving residents from throughout the community on the first anniversary of his death.
Participation in this year’s vigil — being held online only due to COVID-19 shelter order restrictions — is not required for a certain time of the day next Friday, and while the family hopes residents will post on that day, they have already been flooded with responses in the weeks leading up to the day and will welcome notes and pictures at any time after the somber anniversary as well.
“You know the anticipation leading up to his birthday and the anniversary can be more than a little painful. I mean there are still days where I just get knocked out flat and don’t have the energy to really do anything … Losing a child is not something you get cured from you know, you learn how to move on,” Karen said. “A huge thing for us is just hearing people say ‘I think about him all the time and will never forget what happened to you and your family on that awful day.'”
“Fortunately we have a lot of loving supportive friends of Ben and their families helping us,” she added.
Participating in the vigil is simple and community members are encouraged to join in any number of ways. Some suggestions from the Curry family include:
* Post a note
* Share a post about Ben
* Post a video or picture of yourself or of Ben
* Post a video or picture of you and/or your family lighting a candle or sending a message
* Or any other way you would like to show support and remember and honor Ben.
Notes, videos, messages or photos can be posted to the vigils officials website at https://curryfamily.wixsite.com/rememberben. Community members may also make posts to the vigil’s memorial TikTok page, memorial Instagram account or on the Justice for Ben Facebook page.
For social media posts participants are encouraged to use the hashtag “#rememberben”.
“The website and various other social media sites were created, with love, by our dear friend, Tresenia Griffin,” Karen added.
Karen added that members of the community are welcome to remember Ben at one of two memorial sites. Residents can visit a plaque of Ben’s initials located in front of the Danville Burger King 444 Front St., or visit another memorial plaque depicting Snoopy playing basketball at Danville’s Sycamore Valley Park.
“The thing we hear the most about Ben was how just funny he was, how he always made people laugh and smile. If they were having a bad day, they could always count on him to turn their day around,” Karen said. “He was just such a light, just lit up my world.”
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The Curry family was given consent from the Charles M. Schulz Foundation to depict Snoopy playing basketball on Ben’s memorial plaque. Karen Curry said Snoopy and basketball were two of Ben’s favorite things.(Photo courtesy Karen Curry) -
The Curry family is holding an online vigil for residents to share memories of 15-year-old Ben Curry, who drowned two years ago during his physical education class. (Photo courtesy Karen Curry) -
Benjamin Curry drowned in the San Ramon Valley High School pool on May 8, 2018. (photo courtesy Community Presbyterian Church) -
The Curry family is holding an online vigil for residents to share memories of 15-year-old Ben Curry, who drowned two years ago during his physical education class. (Photo courtesy Karen Curry)
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Ben played with our son on a AAU team, Payton’s Place, and Ben shot 3’s effortlessly. He played hard and meaningful.
Peace be with the Curry Family.
Karen & Tom, my heart goes out to you as the anniversary approaches. Ben is always in our hearts and in our mind.
Thinking of the Curry family as this anniversary approaches. Ben will never be forgotten.