Kashyap Patel was poised for a great future. The 17-year-old Hicksville High School senior was focused, intelligent and had a contagious smile.
“That smile stuck in everyone’s mind. He was always so happy and in a good mood,” says his cousin, Krupesh Patel. “Anytime anyone saw him, he never had a sad look. He had this energetic smile. No matter what situation, he was always able to have a smile.”
Kashyap passed away Dec. 22 in a tragic car accident that stunned his family, friends and the Hicksville community. He was driving home around 11:30 p.m. from a friend’s house when his 2003 Acura collided with a 2000 Volkswagon making a left turn out of Antun’s Catering on Old Country Road. Kashyap’s car skidded across the road and struck a tree, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Volkswagon was occupied by 26-year-old Nicholas Zarzana of Mount Sinai and two male passengers, 24 and 26 years old. The collision caused Zarzana’s Volkswagon to strike a third vehicle and Zarzana was ejected from the vehicle into the roadway where police think he was possibly struck by a fourth vehicle heading eastbound. Zarzana was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anup Patel remembers his younger brother as being an energetic child, who matured over the years into a self-motivated, focused student.
“He wanted to become a civil engineer so he could improve things. He saw so many things around him that could be changed,” says Anup.
At Hicksville High School, Kashyap was a major contributor to the Robotics Club, and was involved with the Comet Newspaper and Yearbook Club. An AP Scholar, he was also a member of the National Honor Society and Math Honor Society.
“Kashyap was a kind, decent young man and an outstanding student with a wide range of interests. He was a young man with extraordinary potential. He was an inspiration to his school family and community and a prime contributor to our Hicksville High School community,” said Hicksville’s Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carl Bonuso.
Kashyap had already been accepted by several colleges, and was waiting to hear back from his dream school—The Georgia Institute of Technology.
“He was really responsible for his own education. Academically, intellectually, he was a very driven kid who had his life planned out. He knew what college he wanted to go to, what major he wanted, he drew that path out. That’s something I found inspiring,” says Krupesh.
At home, Kashyap was a loving son and brother, who was always looking out for others.
“He was a family person,” says Anup. “With my grandma and parents, he cared about them and was always concerned about their health, and tried to do little things to show he cared.”
One way he showed his care was through his love of cooking and baking. Recently before he passed, he had made mozzarella sandwiches for his parents.
“He was a foodie. He had many food allergies, so he made a lot of food at home and would lovingly share it with the family,” says Anup. “He loved to cook pasta, sandwiches and just experiment with different things.”
Kashyap was also an avid photographer. He loved to take photos of everything and anything—from bugs in his backyard, to sunsets and people. He also took pictures for BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple in Flushing that he attended every week. He was an active member of the temple; last summer, he helped do construction at its new site in New Jersey and was poised to be a youth group volunteer.
Though his life ended at 17, Kashyap left a shining example for those around him.
“Words don’t do him justice,” says Anup. “Even though I’m older than him, he was a role model for me because he was so focused and determined and he knew what he wanted. He was very disciplined in life.”
