Portsmouth athletes pay tribute to their friend, Connor Peckham

Unified basketball team's ‘mic man’ is honored on senior night

By Jim McGaw
Posted 4/5/19

Samantha Jefferds tried mightily to keep her composure while reading a tribute to Connor Peckham, the Portsmouth High School senior who died during a school band trip to Walt Disney World Resort just …

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Portsmouth athletes pay tribute to their friend, Connor Peckham

Unified basketball team's ‘mic man’ is honored on senior night

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Samantha Jefferds tried mightily to keep her composure while reading a tribute to Connor Peckham, the Portsmouth High School senior who died during a school band trip to Walt Disney World Resort on Monday.


Portsmouth beats Tiverton in unified hoops game, 52-30

She could manage only a few lines before her voice broke, however, and handed the microphone over to her PHS unified basketball teammate, Nate Davies. He finished the speech heard by a few hundred students, parents and faculty members jammed inside the PHS field house Wednesday afternoon, April 3.

Samantha wasn’t the only one crying during the pre-game tribute to Connor, who was remembered for his unifying presence in the school community, his courage in the face of adversity, and his never-ending smile. 

Nate told the crowd that Connor had a “huge impact” on not only the unified team, but the school community as a whole.

“Connor Peckham was truly an inspiration to PHS and he demonstrated this with his unimaginable fight with muscular dystrophy. Although he had this debilitating disease, he never let it ruin his day. No matter where he was, he always had a big, bright smile on his face. By far, he was the most positive and strongest (person) I’ve ever met and he had a laugh so infectious, it even put a smile on Mr. Cassady’s face,” he said, referring to Joseph Cassady, Connor’s advisor.

Role model

Connor probably didn’t realize how much of a role model he was, said Nate.

“No matter what hardships crossed your path, you never let them bring you down; if anything, they made you stronger,” he said. “I know you’re probably looking down on us right now, so while we’re all here I’d like to just say thank you. Thank you for all the great memories, the random Red Sox facts, and finally all the inspiration you’ve given us over the years. I think I speak for all of us when I say, we miss you Connor. You may be gone but you certainly will never be forgotten.”

Wednesday was “senior night,” which honored those teammates who will be moving on from PHS after graduation in the spring. Although Connor never played for the team, he was still considered a valued member for his important contributions from the sidelines.

“Connor Peckham was our mic man, and it was a role that fit him perfectly,” said Donna Ricci, unified coach. “He would give us a pre-game, pump-up speech and he made sure we had music that this team wanted to hear.”

Connor also made sure the crowd was always pumped up as well, she said.

“It could get pretty quiet in here sometimes, but with him on the mic, he made sure this crowd really woke up,” Ms. Ricci said.

“Connor, thank you.”

Visiting hours for Connor

The Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, will be holding two sets of visiting hours for those wishing to pay their respects to Connor on Sunday, April 7: from 2-4 p.m. for members of the Portsmouth High School community and their parents, and from 4-6 p.m. for all other friends and family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 8, at St. Barnabas Catholic Church, 1697 East Main Road. His burial will follow at Newport Memorial Park in Middletown.

PHS unified sports, Portsmouth High School, Connor Peckham

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Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.