Denham Town High mourns death of student killed in house fire

Students and staff of Denham Town High School in Kingston have been plunged into mourning following the loss of 11-year-old Jaydon Whyte, who died in a fire on Tuesday morning, a day before his 12th birthday.

Principal Yvette Richards-Thompson said Whyte, a Grade Seven student, had made a profound impact on students and staff since enrolling in September.

“He is amazing. He’s loving, he’s kind, caring,” Richards-Thompson said.

“He would have sacrificed everything he has just to make sure those around him are in receipt of what they need,” she added.

Richards-Thompson said the young boy stood out because of his generosity and concern for others.

She recalled that Whyte would often intervene when he believed another student was being treated unfairly and would quietly approach the principal to raise concerns.

“He didn’t like to see disservice,” she said.

“So there are times when he would come and whisper and tell me something, what’s happening in the class, or something happened with another student. And he would advocate for others as well.”

His kindness also extended to helping his schoolmates with lunch.

The principal recalled that Whyte would sometimes give away his own food or buy lunch for other students.

She said he would regularly buy two lunches so he could share one with a Grade Seven girl he liked.

“Sometimes if he could only afford one, he would buy one, and they would share it,” she said.

His generosity became such a concern that the grade supervisor eventually took his lunch money, fearing he would give it away to other students.

“Once somebody asked, he would give it to them. He was that kind of person. It’s such a deep, deep loss,” Richards-Thompson said.

- Tiffany Pryce

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