14-Year-Old Killed Saturday Remembered for Her Infectious Smile

The Springs School District confirmed on Sunday night that an eighth grader who would have graduated from the school this week was the bicyclist who died in an East Hampton Village accident on Saturday. 

"It is with heavy hearts that the Springs School community begins our final week of the school year on Monday, as our thoughts and prayers go out to the family [of] Anna Mirabai Lytton," Eric Casale, the principal, said in a statement released Sunday night. "Words cannot express the grief we feel as a school community." 

Lytton, 14, was pinned underneath a sport utility vehicle on Pantigo Road, part of Montauk Highway, across from the East Hampton Post Office and CVS pharmacy on Saturday afternoon. She died at Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was flown for treatment of her injuries. 

She would have graduated with her class from the Springs School on Thursday, moving onto high school. 

Casale said Anna always brought out a smile in everyone. "She was a gentle soul who cared so much for others. Whether you were her friend, her classmate or an adult, Anna always greeted you with a smile and a friendly and genuine 'hello,'" he said. "Her smile was infectious to the point that when you saw Anna smile, you could not help but join her. That was the type of person Anna was and will always be remembered as."

Anna always supported her classmates and friends. Casale called her "a bright, shining star" who brought out the best in others. She loved art and was a beautiful writer, he said. 

The "crisis team" at the school will meet early Monday before school starts, the principal said. Counselors from Springs, as well as East Hampton, Sag Harbor, and Southampton school districts, will be available Monday and throughout the week. "In this time of terrible grief, we ask that our community respect the privacy of the family and friends of the student," he said. 

Springs School Superintendent Dominic Mucci emailed a letter to parents about Anna's death on Sunday night. 

"When such loss occurs, our students and staff will react in different ways. Any reaction is normal in the grief process and can range from withdrawal to anger. I encourage you to openly discuss with your child the reactions and feelings that naturally accompany such tragedies," he said. "The most important thing we can do is to be supportive and encourage an open expression of feelings."