Jake Gardner Unwin
East Lyme — Jake Gardner Unwin passed away unexpectedly Aug. 9, 2019. He was born Oct. 11, 1994, in Manchester. and grew up in Niantic. He graduated from East Lyme High School in 2012, and Bridgton Academy in 2013.
Jake grew up on Saunders Point and loved living an outdoor life at the beach with all of his family, friends and neighbors. He was an exceptional athlete and spent the majority of his youth on the baseball field. This is where Jake made many of his lifelong friends and accomplished so much. The highlight of his career was pitching East Lyme to the ECC Championship in 2012, at Dodd Stadium. He was so proud of his team.
Jake loved any outdoor activity: skiing, snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, golf and to the consternation of many, was good at all of it. He had that rare ability to go through life with such grace and humility. He was fiercely loyal, almost to a fault, and his friends were everything to him. Many stories are still being told about his adventures with them. If you were Jake’s friend, you knew loyalty.
Jake struggled all of his life with anxiety, which eventually led him to substance abuse. He spent a few years in Colorado in recovery where he made great friends who helped him on his journey. Jake returned home last summer, working construction and looking forward to starting the welding program at Electric Boat.
Jake leaves behind so many who loved him; his mother, Deborah Unwin, father, Steven Unwin and stepmother, Betsy Borkowski, all of Niantic; his sister, Taylor Unwin of Los Angeles; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who loved him so much. Jake will be missed for his empathy, loyalty, humor, generosity and by the many people whose lives he touched.
A memorial wake will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Thomas L. Neilan Funeral Home in Niantic. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Brian Dagle Foundation in East Lyme, Oceanside Recovery in Niantic or SCADD in New London.
Online condolences may be expressed to Jake’s family at www.neilanfuneralhome.com.