The Racine family of a 19-year-old Kent State University student is wrestling with his untimely death after a night with friends turned tragic.
Jayden Brieske, a sophomore studying business, was at the University Inn off-campus apartments with two friends Wednesday night when they decided to climb onto the roof, said Brieske’s uncle, Jake Gordon of Hudson, Ohio. When Brieske was climbing down, he slipped and fell, hitting concrete.
“He fell in the worst possible way,” Gordon said.
Gordon said his nephew’s friends did not see what happened but when they realized something was wrong, one started to administer first aid while the other called 911.
Brieske, a 2023 graduate of Racine Horlick, fought to survive but ultimately died Friday of complications from his injuries, his uncle said.
Brieske had been staying with the Gordons while he attended Kent State. Most of his family is from Racine.
Gordon said he and his wife recently moved to Hudson themselves less than three years ago with their two young children.