Winfield ‘Win’ Berrell Jr., 2017 graduate
Winfield “Win” Berrell Jr., a 2017 North Harford High School graduate whose family was determined not to let a heart defect at birth hold him back, died Monday in a car accident in Baltimore County. The Norrisville resident was 18.
Colin Carr, principal of North Harford High School, described his former student as “a great kid.” He said the two would often banter back and forth in the school hallways or during visits to his office.
“He’d always have witty comments,” Mr. Carr said. “[I] would always leave with a smile on my face.”
According to Baltimore County police, Mr. Berrell was driving south on Manor Road at 6:22 a.m. Monday when his vehicle crossed the double yellow center line and struck a pickup truck heading north. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said they do know why his car crossed the center line.
The driver of the pickup, William E. Fedler Jr., 37, was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not deemed lifethreatening, police said.
Mr. Berrell was the son of Winfield Berrell Sr. and Melissa Lee Berrell.
He was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning he had two chambers in his heart instead of four, according to a public service video he did for the American Heart Association when he was 16. He had served as a spokesman for the association.
Upon birth, he was treated at Nemours/ duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and underwent open-heart surgeries on the first day of his life and again at 3 months, 13 months, 22 months and 10 years of age.
“From that first day, we knew that we had to make him as strong as possible because he needs to have the physical strength to get through all these surgeries,” said his father.
In the video for the American Heart Association, his mother said: “He rides dirt bikes, skis, swims, dives. I have a picture of him in the pool with my husband throwing him high in the air and coming down to splash in the water just like the other kids, with his water wings on.”
Doctors and his family “told me what I couldn’t do; they also told me what I could,” Mr. Berrell said in the video. “I could get as close to the limit as I wanted to, but they would stop me.”
Mr. Carr called him a student “who went above and beyond.”
“Win was a member of the North Harford golf team for four years,” said school golf coach Nick Panos. “He was an amazing young man. We will miss his beautiful smile, his incredibly positive attitude and his wonderful kindness.”
He was also a member of the tennis team and was manager of the varsity baseball team.
In the spring, Mr. Berrell was named Mr. North Harford. The school talent competition — “more like a variety performance,” Mr. Carr said — is open to senior males.
“It’s a lot of fun, nothing too serious, but it’s a big deal to be crowned Mr. North Harford,” Mr. Carr said.
The death of Mr. Berrell, he said, was “awful news to get, especially so close to just graduating and looking for a time in your life of moving on and doing bigger and better things.”
Mr. Berrell was a member of the Future Millionaire Club and Mock Trial Team and received the School Service Award.
He was also involved with a drama club for 11 years and was head of the technical crew.
At Calvary Baptist Church in Bel Air, he worked with its Awana program, which hosts programs for youngsters. He was also a member of 4-H, was a camp counselor and loved skiing in the Rocky Mountains, his family said.
Services were held Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church in Bel Air.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by sisters Hannah Emily Berrell and Elizabeth Lee Berrell, both of Norrisville; grandmother Anne E. Berrell of Bel Air; grandfather Everett A. Duncan of Norrisville; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.