Pascack Valley senior Nshan Atakhanian began selling shirts to honor the memory of late Valley student Luke Kantowitz and to raise money for the Shallow Water Blackout Prevention organization.
Kantowitz, a former Pascack Valley student, passed away in early July 2023—the summer before his senior year. The death of Kantowitz deeply affected the Pascack Valley community, with many mourning his loss.
Atakhanian wanted to honor his former classmate, while also raising awareness for the cause of Shallow Water Blackout Prevention, an organization that seeks to prevent drownings.
“It is estimated that a large percentage of all drownings are a result of shallow water blackout,” Atakhanian said. “This is a non-profit organization with a primary mission of [preventing] drownings as a result of shallow water blackout (hypoxic blackout).”
Atakhanian wanted to honor his late classmate in a way he knew Kantowitz would appreciate, while also combining this with awareness of hypoxic blackouts.
“Ever since the situation happened, I’ve been thinking about ideas that would not only benefit the community but also benefit Luke if he was here today,” Atakhanian said. “ He was always a creative person, and he would come to our lunch table and show us the drawings he made. He was always there to [tell] you a joke, always there to support you.”
The shirt features a logo that is one of Kantowitz’s original designs. Atakhanian mentions that Kantowitz loved to draw designs that came to his mind, and Atakhanian thought it was only right to include one of them on the final shirt design.
“It took me a little while to figure out,” Atakhanian said. “I reached out to his friends to find the different photos he drew. I saw the logo and knew I should put it on the shirt. It was kind of like his logo. Mr Kennedy was a great help [in digitizing] it. We put it on the shirt and tried out different decisions. It was trial and error.”
The back of the shirt includes three simple words: Live Like Luke. Those words mean a lot to Atakhanian, but they also mean a lot to many in the Pascack Valley community.
According to Atakhanian, living like Luke entails “being a friend to everyone and being the light in the room.”
Atakhanian expressed Kantowitz’s ability to be the shining light needed in this world and how he always made someone’s day better: “He was someone that was easy to talk to. He always had a funny joke to say and always had something to brighten the mood.”
Since the start date of the fundraiser, Nov. 21, the sale has reached over 2,400 in sales. Atakhanian says he is receiving orders from all around the state and the country, showing the magnitude of Luke’s impact.
The fundraiser is set to end this Friday December, 8th, and Atakhanian hopes students, faculty, and the entire Pascack Valley community understands Luke’s impact, and become involved in supporting him.
“The world would be a better place with more individuals like Luke,” Atakhanian said.
