Team 1511 loses Alumnus, Mentor and Friend

[Cynette]

As Team 1511 completes its final preparations for FLR this weekend, the mentors, teachers, alumni and older students will be taking time out to remember the life of Keith Kearns who died unexpectedly over the weekend.

Keith joined our team in our rookie year (2005), and was a member of our 2006 Driveteam. He was able to graduate a year early to head off the Monroe Community College to get started with college. Even while attending college, he came back for build season to help the team build the robot. He was a master of the drivetrain, and was always great at helping our students learn the ropes.

He was known for his hard-core music tastes, constant coffee drinking, immunity to drama, wicked sense of humor and for always coming through for his friends and for the team.

Since our rookie year, Rolling Thunder has always felt like a family. This loss is teaching one of the hard lessons on what it means to be part of that family. It also crystallizes the idea that FIRST is about so much more than the robot. We are honored that Keith’s family has included his membership in FIRST Robotics in his obituary. Our hearts go out to his family and to the other friends who will also be missing him dearly.

[MissInformation]

Cynette, I'm sorry to hear about 1511's loss. He sounds like someone everyone should have had a chance to get to know, and so it's the world's loss too.

My heart goes out to his family and friends, and I hope they find comfort in remembering the time they had with him.

Heidi

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Please pass along our heartfelt condolences on a terrible loss to Keith's family, friends and team.

[GaryVoshol]

Please convey my condolences to the family and team. We'll be thinking of you.

[Alex Cormier]

Sorry to hear that 1511.

[Ellery]

Team 191 and all the Xerox teams pass our sympathies to Keith's family and Team 1511. This is such a horrible news.

[Kims Robot]

Keith was one of those kids that absolutely amazed me. I remember when he first joined, I thought he would never last... he seemed like one of those outside kids that didnt "need" a robotics team. On first impression, one might not have thought much, he had a lip ring and large gauge earings, and was often quiet. But as I got to know him, I found that he was a very intelligent kid, who was mature beyond his years. He spent more time hanging out with older students and mentors, but did always have time for the younger kids.

The summer after our Rookie year, we decided to go to Bash at the Beach. His friend Tommy had been one of our student coaches, and I think Tommy convinced Keith to come with us. It was then we decided to try and really hook him. We got him to be our Human Player, and he proved to have a great attitude and aptitude for it. So in 2006 we drafted him to our driveteam. He loved it, he was our rock, our no-nonsense no-drama kid on the drive team.

He also had a great sense of humor. I remember in Boston that year, he accidentally walked into the girls bathroom at the end of the competition, but when he realized it and walked back out several of us caught him, and one of our parents made him pose for a picture. I will never forget that grin. He knew he was caught, but he wasnt embarrassed, he found humor in it all, and that was so great about him.

One of our kids also remembered the story of when he got on the bus for one of our trips with a couple of cases of the Bawls Energy drinks and started "auctioning" them off. He was simultaneously their greatest hero, and our greatest villian!! (kids+first energy drinks=horrible crashes!!)

But I think my favorite thing about Keith is the two years after he graduated early, he would just all of a sudden show up at the start of build season, and would be there to help us through it all. He would push the students to take on tasks, and one of our girls told me he was the reason she first touched the robot. He made a seemless transition from student to college mentor, and was really good at the role of mentor.

We will all miss his face, his lip-ringed half grin, and his honesty. And we will always remember what he brought to our team.

Never forget your alumni... ever...

[Andy Baker]

My heart goes out to team 1511 and Keith's family. May peace be with all who knew Keith in this tragic time.

Thanks, Cynette and Kim, for sharing.

Sincerely,
Andy Baker

[Hiteak]

Please give my condolences to the rest of the team and Keith's family for me. I've been hearing several stories though members of the team and he sounded like an amazing person.

[Justin Montois]

This is really sad news. On behalf of team 340, our heartfelt condolences to the entire Penfield robotics family and the family of Keith.

If there's anything we can do don't hesitate to let us know.

[JohnBoucher]

237 thoughts and prayers are with the family and team.

[Rich Kressly]

Condolences from the 1712 family to yours.

[Ericgehrken]

Deep condolences from the 195 family to Keith's family and the 1511 family.

[vhcook]

My condolences to 1511 and Keith's family. He sounds like a great mentor and alumni. I wish I could have met him.

[wendymom]

Everyone at Bacon is so sorry to hear of your loss. We have no words