It’s true what they say about hindsight, especially when it comes to looking back on your teen years. I distinctly remember feeling invincible or at the very least smarter than my parents. After all, why was it so dangerous to sneak down to South Street in Philadelphia on public transportation by myself at 14? What could go wrong driving miles away to a haunted hayride in a different state so long as I got back for curfew? Now that I am on the other side of the parent-child relationship dynamic, I feel anything but invincible and think of my child as even less so.
Sometimes I look at my 7-year-old with his best friend and I can’t help but feel utterly terrified that the two of them will be behind a wheel together one day. The calculated risks teens make are many, but it only takes one wrong move for whatever it is to be detrimental and in some extreme cases even fatal. On March 20, 2026, a New York City teen became one of those tragedies, according to People.
Timothee Englund, 16, was apparently aiming for the perfect shot when he climbed up a tower in Brooklyn.
The New York Post reported that sources claimed he scaled up the tower 15 feet to capture a picture of the skyline when he plummeted. The high school sophomore was at Bushwick Intel Park around 1:15 p.m., per police. It is unclear who he was with or who placed the 911 call, but Timothee was found “unconscious and unresponsive” and sent to Bellevue Hospital, where he ultimately died of his injuries.
The tower he climbed was surrounded by a fence, but the barrier had a huge gaping hole and didn’t serve well as a deterrent.
Timothee’s parents, Tobias and Yvette Englund, are left with heartbreak and confusion.
“We just lost our son,” Tobias told the Daily News. “He fell down and had an accident. We don’t know what happened.”
The teen was remembered fondly for his athleticism and shining personality. “He was amazing, he was loving,” Yvette said, per the Post, with Tobias noting that Timothee “was goofy” and “funny.”
“He was a high school kid,” his father told the Daily News. “He was an athlete. He played soccer and pickup basketball when we went to the gym.”
Locals and readers from afar dropped lines on Tobias’ Facebook page to offer him and his wife comfort.
Since the tragic loss, Tobias has been updating followers with memories and new information as it unfolds. Family and friends gathered in the park where Timothee died as a way of honoring him.
“I’m so sorry. He was such a great kid. Please accept my condolences,” wrote one follower.
“The strength and generosity you and Yvette exhibited yesterday is nothing short of miraculous. So much love,” complimented another commenter.
“Your beautiful baby boy will never be forgotten… he was so loved… we are so heartbroken,” another comment read.
Thus far, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner has not confirmed a cause of death and no arrests have been made. The investigation is continuing.
