‘Unlikeliest suicide’
Vessel victim a 'tough' NJ kid
The teen who jumped to his death from the Vessel at Manhattan’s Hudson Yards was a former high-school rugby star and “tough kid, not afraid of anything,’’ his former coach told The Post on Sunday.
“He is seemingly the most unlikely of cases for suicide,’’ Simon Perry said of Peter DeSalvo, 19, a Sacred Heart University freshman from Basking Ridge, NJ, who authorities say leaped from the art installation at around 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
The teen’s parents “are the nicest people, absolute sweethearts. He was their only child,’’ said the coach, his voice breaking.
“He was doing great in school. He was playing rugby at Sacred Heart. I’m going to ask to have Pete’s jersey retired.’’
A law-enforcement source said that, according to video and witnesses at the site, De Salvo was by himself when he “got on a railing and jumped off from the sixth floor’’ of the West 33rd Street structure, also known as “The Hive’’ because of its beehive-like appearance.
“He didn’t say anything to anybody,’’ the source said.
The young man’s family has no idea why he would have killed himself, and he had no note on him, the source added.
Perry, whose son played with DeSalvo, called the victim “seemingly a very well-adjusted kid.”
“He was a terrific lineman. Not flash, just got on with business,’’ the grieving coach said of DeSalvo, who also played football for Ridge HS in the town.
“The whole community is in shock,’’ said Perry, who lives across the street from the family.
Two men who identified themselves as DeSalvo’s uncles outside the family’s home declined to comment Sunday.
“The family asks for privacy right now,’’ said one of the men, who added that they knew no details about what happened.
Security workers at the Vessel on Sunday said that there were no extra measures in place and that they were not aware of anything that might be added in the wake of the tragedy.
Tourists were shaken by the incident.
“When you look at it and think about it, it is easy to jump off it,’’ said Suelen Jorge, visiting from Brazil.
Representatives for the site did not return requests for comment.