A sad story

On December 8, the student everyone knew as Carl climbed into the pulpit at St. Joseph's Chapel at Kent School in Danbury, Connecticut.

For once, I’ve actually chosen my words very carefully. ... Let me explain myself to you, not as Carl the experienced senior giving a chapel talk. But as Carl, the really scared child who is worried that they may have waited too long to get real.

Carl told everyone about a depression that was devastating. Then:

I am transgender. I puzzle every day why I came out a boy.

--Emilia Worth

Carl came out as Emilia.

She was just a role model for everybody. She was everybody’s friend.. I’ve never met someone like that in my life, and I don’t think I will. Someone that could talk to so many people. She was the most amazing, genuine person. She stood up for everybody.

--Hazel Garrity, Kent student

Her body was found last Saturday...in what she considered her campus "special place."

It wasn’t a lack of support from family, friends or school officials that led to Emelia’s death. It was suicidal depression..

She was the sunshine of our home.. There are some things that we’ll never understand about depression — at least I won’t.

--Elsa Worth

If anyone was to say anything to her, they knew everyone would have risen up and protected her.

--Garrity

Last Sunday, the chapel bell rang 18 times for Emilia.

Before her death, she was applying to colleges. She had been accepted to the University of New Hampshire and University of Massachusetts — Amherst. She planned to study linguistics and become a professor.

She also had planned to start hormone therapy in March.