On Saturday morning, less than three months before graduating from Cornell, Evan Wade ’08 died in a car crash on Mount Pleasant Road in the Town of Ithaca. Wade was reportedly alone in his SUV when he lost control of the vehicle, drove into a ditch, hit a tree and then rolled over just after 9 a.m. No other vehicles were reported to be involved in the accident.

Wade was a senior in the College of Engineering and a member of the Naval ROTC. Originally from Williamsburg, Va., he is survived by his parents and two brothers, according to the University.

“Support meetings for the Cornell community are being coordinated through the campus crisis manager and the Dean of Students Office. More information about these meetings will be forthcoming,” stated Vice President for University Communications Thomas Bruce.

Wade, a member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, described himself as very religious on his Facebook profile. Between his sophomore and junior years, he went on a two-year mission to Finland. “He was religious, but never projected his beliefs on others,” said Zak Dentes ’09, a fellow member of Naval ROTC.

“He was one of the best people you could meet, he always did his best. He was one of the most agreeable people in our unit, and was so easy to get along with. Anything you would ask him to do, he would get it done … he was an outstanding, top-notch guy,” Dentes said.

Wade was part of the Naval Unit Color Guard. At formal events he handled the national, Navy and unit flags and competed for Cornell in carrying the flag. He was a resident of the Just About Music program house, played the jazz saxophone and was a member of the Cornell University Jazz Ensembles.

“He did so many different things … he was one of the most charismatic, kind, generous people I’ve ever met, and he was like that with everyone he knew. He had so much going on and he still made time for people,” said Naushad Kabir ’10, a close friend of Wade’s.