Tragedy struck the Studio City Harvard-Westlake campus on Friday when junior swimmer Justin Carr was involved in a "tragic swimming accident." According to the school newspaper, paramedics were called when Carr lost consciousness in the pool during swimming practice. He was pulled from the pool and efforts to resuscitate him at poolside were unsuccessful. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Carr was 16 years old.
Head of Harvard-Westlake, Jeanne Huybrechts, informed parents via email of Carr’s passing.
"It is with profound sadness that I write to inform you of the tragic loss of our student and a member of HW’s 11th grade, Justin Carr," said Huybrechts in an email obtained by the Times. "Justin died unexpectedly late this afternoon. It is impossible for me to summarize all that Justin was in just a few sentences. Scholar, athlete, singer, actor, ebullient child, he was an extraordinary young man by any measure."
Last season, as a member of the junior varsity team, Carr was chosen as the Swimmer of the Meet when the Wolverines swam against Agoura High.
As stated by Huybrechts in the email to Harvard-Westlake parents, Carr had plenty of talents away from the pool. Last April, it was announced he was one of 42 esteemed students selected to be a member of the 2012-13 Harvard-Westlake Chamber Singers. Carr, a tenor, was scheduled to sing in a European tour next month, according to a source.
Carr also led the school’s Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club (BLACC). He was a part of a group that recruited Samuel L. Jackson to come speak on campus as a part of Black History Month festivities. He was also a leader in the group’s community service efforts.
The school has an 8 a.m. assembly scheduled for Monday, according to reports.
School officials are meeting Saturday morning and will release a statement with further information in the afternoon.
