WEST HAVEN -- Hundreds of people gathered to remember 16-year-old Alejandro Zitlalpopoca at Bradley Point Park in West Haven Friday evening.
"He was someone that we could trust like no one else," said Noel Jimenez, a friend. "He always made time to hang out with his friends even after he had his baby."
Alejandro drowned in the water just off the park's beach on Labor Day.
His friends described Alejandro, or "Alex," as a kind person who loved to be athletic as well as spend time with his friends and family.
The school is raising money to help his family bury him in Mexico, where he was born.
The community is also collecting donations and gift cards to retailers such as Buy Buy Baby, Babies-R-Us, Target, and Walmart to help the family with expenses related to caring for Alex's infant daughter.
Checks can be made out to West Haven High School with "Zitlalpopoca Family" written on the memo line.
Donations can be mailed to:
West Haven High School
1 McDonough Plaza
West Haven, CT 06516.
Questions may be directed to Assistant Principal Dana Martinez at (203) 937-4360 x7110 and dana.martinez@whschools.org.