Milton Academy Remembers Merritt Levitan

Teachers, coaches and administrators at Milton Academy are remembering 2013 graduate Lee Merritt Levitan, who passed away in Arkansas earlier this month.

Levitan, an 18-year-old Milton resident, was bicycling across the country with 12 other people when a motorist struck six of the riders in McCrory, Ark. She died in a hospital the day after the accident.

"Merritt was simply a wonderful person,” said Todd Bland, head of school, in a milton.edu story about Levitan. “intellectually impressive, generous and thoughtful, to name just three of many endearing characteristics. Merritt was amazingly gracious, when offering a favor to a friend, a classmate, or a head of school. She would ask with complete sincerity, ‘Would it be okay with you if I give you this gift?’ That was Merritt.”

According to the article on milton.edu, Levitan was very involved in the Milton Academy community as a member of the Milton Academy Outdoor Program and a news manager at The Milton Paper as well as a talented artist and an advanced Spanish student.

She was also a volunteer at the Taylor Elementary School in Mattapan.

Levitan was also an athlete. She was a four-year variety skier and a member of the tennis team

“She served as tennis captain this past season in an ISL championship year,” tennis coach Troy Crichlow told milton.edu. “She was always there for teammates going through bad times, on and off the court. She made their problems hers because she cared for each of them so much. She was selfless. Although she was injured this year, she came to every match and every practice to support the team. Merritt made me a better coach and person through the years.”