It is with great sadness that I report the sudden death of William (“Ariel”) Sears (graduate Film, Improvisation, Speech & Voice, 2001 Talent Agent Showcase finalist) who was an acting student at ACTeen from 2000 to 2002 . Will died very suddenly of unknown causes on September 3, 2002, at the age of 20

While we knew Will as a wonderful and giving actor, many didn’t know that Will was an expert figure skater, with the 2006 Olympic competitions firmly in sight. With his pairs partner Katie Boxwell, Will captured the U.S. Figure Skating Championship novice title at the 2002 U.S. Championships in January. Katie and Will had only been partnered together for a little over a year, training at Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers in New York City and at the Ice House in Hackensack New Jersey. Their pairs coaches, Igor Moskvin and Tamara Moskvian are the coaches of three-time U.S. pairs champions Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, with whom Will and Katie used to train. His mother, Margarita Sears, telephoned me to alert me of Will’s death, thanking me for his acting training, which was reflected, she believed, in Will’s consistently high artistic marks.

Will was late for an expected skating practice, and was eventually found in his apartment, lying on his bed in his robe, his right arm around a bowl of grapes, his eyes open and the television on. An autopsy has not found any medical or physiological cause of death. Will did not smoke, take recreational or performance-enhancing drugs, and maintained a healthy diet. Coverage of Will’s death was extensive, including articles in the New York Times and an interview with Will’s parents on “Good Morning America” with Diane Sawyer.

Will had also been attending film writing courses at New York University, where he was working on a autobiographical screenplay about a young, awkward, overweight boy who finds himself in figure skating. He taught skating and had started a successful music editing business for skaters, including 2002 Olympic pairs champions Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze.

On October 9, 2002, a memorial service was held for Will at Sky Rink in NYC. Students and many members of the national and international skating community attended to pay tribute on ice to the life and spirit of this wonderful young man. The New York Skating Club has established the Will Sears Memorial Fund to help young skaters achieve their dreams. The US Figure Skating Association has rededicated the Junior Championship trophy as the Will Sears Memorial Trophy.

Will now rests on the grounds of his parent’s cultural village in Cooperstown New York.  His parents have created a garden in his memory, “Wills Garden.” It is a beautiful place to gather for reflection, and to celebrate the life of this talented young man.

Students participating in the May 2001 Talent Showcase (left to right):

Back Row: Elizabeth Cooke, Eugene Crawley,
Debargo Sanyal, Doug Rigg, Richard Keith,
Joy Darash, William Sears, and Elizabeth Hart
Front Row: Daisy Hobbs, Laura Warsauer,
Michael Coppola, Martha Negin, and Liz Cummings