Alejandro “Alex” Thomae, Trinity ’09, passed away May 18 in a fatal gun accident at his home in Dallas, Texas. He was 22 years old.
Thomae, who learned to handle a firearm at a young age, accidentally shot himself while cleaning his personal gun, his mother Emma Thomae said in an interview Monday night.
Family and friends remember Thomae for his kindness, ambition and trademark smile.
“Alex was an overachiever at life... and he was an unbelievable friend to me,” said Paul Thornton, Trinity ’09, who was Thomae’s roommate senior year at Duke. “He was one of those kids that had a desire to learn and a desire to live and know everything and be a part of everyone’s life.”
Thornton said he met Thomae during his freshman year, and the two bonded “right off the bat.” They were both raised in Texas, played sports and joined Kappa Alpha Order.
Thomae graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts in chemistry. He also played intramural lacrosse all four years on campus, his mother said.
After graduation, Thomae spent several months traveling in South America—his “dream,” she added.
In January, Thomae was hired as an associate for the Boston Consulting Group in Dallas. He previously interned for the company in the summer of 2008 and was offered a full-time job in his senior year.
Thomae attended Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated third in his class. There, he played numerous sports, having dabbled in everything except for basketball, his mother said.
Catherine McGrath, who works in the guidance office at Central Catholic, remembers Alex for his integrity and personal charm.
“He had such a winning way about him,” McGrath said. “He was honorable, very mature for his age... and special. He was a brilliant young man.”
McGrath added that Thomae was a very devout Catholic and proud of his faith.
“He had a relationship with his God that was beautiful, and he wasn’t afraid to let you see it,” she said.
Thomae’s mother said he was accepted to numerous universities nationwide. Although he was torn between two schools, Thomae immediately “fell in love” with Duke upon visiting campus.
“He loved Duke because of the beauty of the school, the campus,” she said. “He felt people were so friendly there... and decided that’s where he wanted to complete his studies.”
A memorial service was held Saturday in San Antonio. Donations in Thomae’s memory can be made to the need-based financial aid department in Trinity College of Arts and Sciences.
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