Adam Brown '97, a fencer and an active member of The Programming Board, died unexpectantly Tuesday evening at his home in Los Gatos, Calif. He was 19 years old.
The immediate cause of death has not yet been determined but it was directly related to his lung cancer, said Dr. Kent Adler, a medical oncologist at Stanford University Medical Center and Brown's attending physician.
"I'm surprised and we're all shocked that [his death] occurred so rapidly," Adler said. "He was a fine young man and approached his disease very courageously."
Brown contracted pnuemonia during the summer while leading youngsters on camping trips at a mountain camp outside of San Franciso, Calif., but was only recently diagnosed with cancer, Zach Scott '97 said.
Scott met Brown for the first time on their freshmen trip and fondly recalled yesterday what a good friend Brown was.
"Adam was trustworthy. I could always talk to him and he always had some good advice," Scott said.
"He had a good sense of humor and he was just fun to be around. If there were stuff bothering you, he'd cheer you up. He was always ready to go out and just have some fun."
"But he was also a serious person," Scott added. "He was serious about his academics."
His freshmen year roommate Adrian Tompsett '97 said he was planning on majoring in geography but was still undecided in his future career goals. Tompsett fondly remembered how much he enjoyed their late-night conversations that would last until 5 a.m.
"He was the greatest guy I've ever met. And a great roommate. A lot of guys here are really going to miss him. I know I am," Tompsett said.
"This kind of thing really shouldn't happen. It's really sad. He was a really great guy and a really great friend," Tompsett said.
Both Scott and Tompsett said Brown appeared normal and healthy last year. He did not show any signs or symptoms of illness Spring term, Scott said.
Scott said he learned of Brown's cancer a couple of weeks ago through a close of friend of theirs, Karim Hruska '97.
"Kadim told me over BlitzMail ... I knew that Adam had been sick before this and that they didn't know what it was -- and that had shocked me. But I was equally shocked about this, besides the fact that I have lost a friend, but I totally did not expect it," Scott said.
"Adam had been very hopeful. I personally don't think he felt bad enough. I think the doctors are surprised. He told me that if everything went according to plan, he'd be back at Dartmouth by Spring term. And he seemed pretty hopeful about that," Scott said.
Hruska had been Brown's best friend for seven years, attending both high school and college together. Hruska went home to California yesterday when he heard the news.
Hruska found it difficult and painful to describe his friend. He said he felt he could only say that Brown "was loved by many people."
Brown's mother, Claudia, echoed similar sentiments. "He was so popluar, and so loved by so many people. We've received so many cards and calls," she said.
Scott said Brown placed a lot of value on his friendships, "especially with Karim." Brown was also very social: "He'd go out and meet a lot of people," Scott said.
Both Hruska and Mrs. Brown said Dartmouth was a big part of his life.
"Dartmouth was very dear to him. He wanted to go ever since he was a kid. He didn't even know there were other schools. And one day he was watching a football game on TV between Harvard and Dartmouth and Harvard was winning -- and Adam always like to be on the winning side -- he asked, me, 'Hey, wait, where's this Harvard place?' But he always only wanted to go to Dartmouth," Mrs. Brown said.
"And then when we went, he got a citation from his professor. And when he went, it was everything he wanted and more. He was very successful there, and Dartmouth was very close to him ... We are very grateful he got to go," she said.
His funeral will take place Friday at 1 p.m. at Los Gatos Memorial Park. Contributions can be sent to the Adam Brown '97 Scholarship Fund in care of the Stewardship Office of Dartmouth College at Hinman Box 6066.
Brown is survived by his father, Jeffrey Evans Brown '66; his mother, Claudia Harris Brown; his sister, Amy Elizabeth Brown; and his grandfather, Robert Harris.
