Services set for Branford crash victims
Two brothers — sons of TV host Dudchik — and teen girl were killed last week on Hosley Avenue
Funeral services for three young people who died in a car crash last week — the two sons of Connecticut television host Tom Dudchik, and 17-year-old Megan Nicole Povilaitis — are set for early next week.
Anthony Dudchik, 19, Robert Dudchik, 22, and Povilaitis were killed in the one-car crash on April 28 on Hosley Avenue in Branford.
Police said Povilaitis was driving at a high rate of speed and failed to negotiate a turn. The Dudchik brothers were passengers.
There are no calling hours for the two men. Masses of Christian burial are set for Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church, 48 Middlesex Ave., Chester. WTNH, Channel 8 is to live-stream the service on wtnh.com and on the station’s Facebook page. Their father, Tom Dudchik, a former state representative and former state official,
hosts Channel 8’s Capitol Report and runs a news aggregation site with the same name.
Calling hours for Povilaitis are set for Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Ave., North Haven. A
Mass of Christian burial is set for Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St Barnabas Church in North Haven.
Anthony Dudchik was described in his obituary as “the adored son of Thomas and Nora Fitzgerald Dudchik of East Haddam.” He was a freshman at Southern Connecticut State University and a graduate of Nathan Hale-ray High School in East Haddam, where he was a member of the soccer and track teams. Before college, he had worked since age 15 at Shagbark Lumber and Farm Supplies in East Haddam.
“Anthony was a gifted photographer and a lover of anime,” according to his obituary. “He spent many nights in front of the fireplace discussing with us his love of the genre... Everyone loved Anthony — there was a lot to love.”
Robert Dudchik was a flight attendant for Avelo Airlines and lived in East Haven close to Tweed New Haven Airport, his obituary says.
“He was very proud to be in the inaugural class for Avelo at Tweed and among the first to receive his wings,” the obit says. “Traveling and customer service were Robert’s passion. He excelled at
Avelo, garnering much praise in his short career from passengers and co-workers.”
Robert’s dream was to teach English in Japan the family said in the obit, “We are so sad he did not get to fulfill that dream.” He also graduated from Nathan Hale-ray High School, where he was on the soccer and track teams. Robert also had worked at Shagbark Lumber and Farm Supplies.
“He had the biggest smile to greet you as you walked into the store and made you glad you came in,” the obituary said. “Robert was a cherished son, grandson, nephew, cousin, colleague and friend. We love him and will miss him more than words can possibly convey. Take flight Robert!”
Povilaitis was a student at East Haven High School and a former tennis player. She also was an aspiring tattoo artist, her mother, Teresa Gagliardi said. Megan also loved all animals and “was a person everyone could count on,” Gagliardi said. “She helped so many people.”
A Gofundme page has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses.
SCSU President Joe Bertolino said in a statement sent to the Dudchik family that the university community is “deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing” of Anthony Dudchik, who he noted was a first-year residential student and journalism major.
Bertolino said that although Anthony “had only been attending Southern for a short time, instructors remember him fondly.” He said that Angela Todaro-kraszewski, director of the Office of Educational Services in the College of Education taught Anthony in an INQ class last fall and said he was “bright, funny, and full of life.”
For the Dudchik brothers, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Robert and Anthony Dudchik Memorial Fund at SUN Scholars. Donate at sunscholarsinc.org/memorial.