INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — An 18-year-old St. Edward’s School senior died Friday after deputies said he jumped from a school dock into the Indian River Lagoon.
The student, identified by school officials as Bidensky Termidor, of Vero Beach, was pulled from the lagoon by another student before he went into cardiac arrest, Indian River County deputies and fire rescue crews said. Deputy Lt. Patrick White, who responded to the scene, described the incident as a “tragic accident.”
White said there did not appear to be anything criminal about the incident. St. Edward’s School Marketing Director Monica Jennings described Termidor as a “beloved student.”
“Please pray for our entire school community,” Jennings said in a statement. “We have expressed our deepest sympathies to the family in their time of grief and will remain in constant touch with them.”
St. Edward’s canceled middle and upper school classes for Monday, Jennings said. The faculty will still be at the campus.
“Students have the choice to be together on campus for support with each other and grief counselors, or to remain with their families,” Jennings said. “The school will have a service immediately after homeroom for middle and upper school students and their teachers.”
The incident happened about 3 p.m. west of State Road A1A, Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Kyle Kofke said. Fire rescue crews responded to reports of a possible drowning in the area.
Deputies said Termidor was submerged under the 10-foot deep water for at least four minutes before he was discovered. Kofke said bystanders pulled the teenager from the lagoon and tried to revive him.
“He was already out (of the water) when we got there,” Kofke said.
Termidor was taken by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead, deputies said. The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office was investigating Termidor’s death.
The “Senior Walk Assembly” at St. Edward’s School, a private educational institution, was taking place at the time of the incident, according to the school’s website. Several people, including teachers, left their condolences on Facebook after the announcement of Termidor’s death.
Bidensky Termidor (far left) with three other youth at Crossover Mission’s 2021 March Madness event.
PHOTO BY KAILA JONES
“Bidensky was one of those kids you hope to have in your class,” one Facebook user commented. “Such a wonderful family and great kids. This is so heartbreaking.”
Termidor was part of Crossover Mission, a nonprofit that provides year-round basketball training and one-on-one academic mentoring for the youth. Termidor recently participated in Crossover Mission’s March Madness-themed fundraiser, which aimed to raise money for the competitive travel basketball teams.
Termidor was part of the class of 2021 and was set to graduate next month, Jennings said.
No further details were immediately available.