Lancy Chiu










Saratoga High School senior was gifted in drama, writing

By Leigh Ann Maze

In a play written by Saratoga High School senior Lancy Chiu last year, a stranger's kindness and empathy prevents a 16-year-old girl from committing suicide via an overdose of sleeping pills. Tragically, Chiu's life somewhat mirrored that of the central character in her play when she apparently took her own life with an overdose of sleeping medication on May 6.

Last June, Chiu won an award for the play titled, Someone Who Will Listen, in a writing contest sponsored by the San Jose Peace Center, the Collins Foundation and Los Gatos resident Charles Walton.

Chiu, 17, was found by astronomy professor Benjamin Mendelsohn and Saratoga Rotary Club member Joe Long on a grassy area behind a science building at West Valley College in Saratoga around 6:30 p.m., according to Sgt. Lindley Zinker of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. Sheriffs deputies, who responded immediately, determined that Chiu had been there for approximately four or five hours. She had what appeared to be a picnic basket beside her and passersby may have thought she was just relaxing on campus, according to the information authorities shared with staff and students at SHS about the incident.

Chiu left some information on a piece of paper that provided the deputies with the name of her family and their Saratoga address and phone number, Zinker said. Chiu's car was found in the parking lot at WVC. She was not enrolled in any classes at WVC.

Saratoga High School principal Kevin Skelly met with the Chiu family on Sunday, and when school resumed Monday morning, Skelly and counselors from the Santa Clara Centre for Living and Dying met with the teachers and staff. Skelly spoke to the students over the public address system to offer any help the teachers, staff or many counselors on campus might provide.

"Please reach out to those who love you as you deal with such a difficult situation," Skelly told the students. Tears were shed among students and teachers alike, said Cynthia Chang, a friend of the Chiu family, a mother and a Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District board member. One student called his mother after school on Monday to tell her he loved her, Chang said, which apparently were words he doesn't often say.

Counselors were on campus all day Monday and are still available to help students as long as their services are needed.

A message board was set up in the SHS Little Theater for students to share their thoughts and memories. It is an appropriate place to commemorate Chiu, who was actively involved in drama, music, speech and debate on campus. On April 29, Chiu qualified for the state-level speech and debate tournament for her outstanding original prose. She was also a talented young writer. Chiu's younger sister, Ruth, is a SHS sophomore.

The news of Chiu's death was also hard-felt at WVC, as it was throughout the Saratoga community. The Chiu family declined to be interviewed for this article, and asked Skelly to decline comment as well.

"The family is trying to piece it all together," said LG-SJUHSD superintendent Cynthia Hall Ranii. "It's a terribly sad situation and we are extremely grateful to the caring staff at SHS for helping each other and helping the students deal with the pain and grief of such a tragedy."

Chang said, "The family needs time to heal. They appreciate all of the support, love and caring this community has given to them."

Morning funeral services for Chiu were held May 12, at the Saratoga-Cupertino Funeral Home. Services were attended by many family members and friends and included Buddhist prayers and rituals. Chiu was laid to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos.

Sheriff's Report

DeCinzo: Remembering a Horror on Memorial Day

Photo: Principal For a Day Emily Davis, 10

Photo: Trouble in River City

Robert Petersen Receives CPA Award

Saratoga Stereopticon

Sports Briefs

Local Diamond Teams Open CCS

Teerlink, Relay Team Win Titles for Saratoga Track