Alex Schachter

If there was one word to describe Alexander Logan Schachter, it would be “happy.” His family and friends remember him most for his contagious smile and joyous demeanor. Alex was born on July 9, 2003 to Max and Debbie Schachter in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Since birth, Alex has brought joy and comfort to all those around him.

“He was a great friend and role model to not only me, but to everyone around him,” his childhood friend Brandon Litwin said in his eulogy to Alex.

Alex loved the exhilaration of riding roller coasters from its peaks to its stomach-dropping troughs, which Alex compared with life itself in a poem he wrote for his freshman English class, “Life is Like a Roller Coaster.”

Moreover, Alex was always the upbeat ray of sunshine among his family and friends. He constantly lightened other people’s day through his expressive facial features and wild, spirited attitude. Whether his face cringed in disgust or shined with joy, Alex’s expressions made him like an open book.

“Alex didn’t like fat on any steak or chicken, or anything like that; he was disgusted by any fat. If he ate any piece of it, you could tell immediately what was going on by his face,” Alex’s older brother, senior Ryan Schachter said.

Alex’s cheerful personality exuded positivity and spread it to those around him.

“I will probably miss his disposition most, just because he was always so happy and cheerful; he always brought joy into the room he was in,” Ryan Schachter said.

His non-materialistic, laid-back outlook on life was reflected in his simple style; a staple outfit for Alex was his University of Connecticut hoodie that his mother gave him, a tribute to her alma mater. A week after his passing, the University of Connecticut posthumously accepted Alex into the School of Fine Arts as a music major.

Alex participated in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School band his freshman year as a baritone player for the Eagle Regiment, the school’s award-winning marching band. The Eagle Regiment requires extensive conditioning for its members with practice three or four times each week until about 9 p.m., making it a challenge to keep up with academics and other extracurricular activities.

“Alex was always happy, very committed and passionate about anything he did, and he always tried to do his best,” Ryan Schachter said.

When entering eighth grade, Alex realized the importance of his schooling and quickly improved his grades through a newfound motivation and responsibility for his education and future. Alex had not always been the A student he became in eighth grade, but he continued his academic success into high school.

This transformation helped Alex work through the struggles of committing so much time to the Eagle Regiment during his freshman year, while maintaining high marks by gradually learning better time management.

Practicing music was never a chore for Alex, as he had a strong passion for playing. In eighth grade, Alex joined band where he thoroughly enjoyed his experience and learned to play the trombone.

“Alex was one of the most passionate freshmen coming into marching band at the beginning of the summer and when school started. Since I played baritone for two years before becoming drum major, he would ask me for tips and tricks and always strived to be the best he could,” Eagle Regiment drum major and fellow baritone player Rachael Gorman said. “Alex was an incredible musician and had an insane amount of talent.”

Alex used music as a medium for selfexpression, and he truly felt in tune with the world while he did.

“He was always just focused, and he just loved making music; it’s what he loved to do,” freshman Jeremy Wechsler said.

Alex competed at the Florida Marching Band Championships this year and was overjoyed at the outcome: the Eagle Regiment won first place. Alex felt proud of himself and his band teammates, who worked so hard to perform at their greatest caliber for the competition.

At school, Alex also was a member of the MSD DECA program in which he took Finance and Business Technology with Lisa Webster. Alex did not qualify for DECA States in his first year enrolled in the program, but he was optimistic about trying again next year. One of his greatest experiences in the program was attending a Miami Heat basketball game as a part of a field trip on Feb. 9 when he got to see Dwayne Wade play in his first game back as a Miami Heat player.

Between DECA and band, Alex kept his school extracurricular schedule packed; outside of school, Alex participated in recreational sports leagues at Pine Trails Park, including basketball and football.

“You were a natural athlete — a great football player, a natural runner and basketball player and always with perfect sportsmanship,” freshman Brett Lickerman said in his eulogy to Alex.

In basketball, Alex played shooting guard and defense, scoring the game-winning three-pointer in the championship game for his fifth grade recreational league team, the Syracuse Orange.

“My dad said no threes all season, but in overtime in the championship, he [Alex] made it,” freshman Brett Unger said, whose father is the coach for the championship-winning team.

When he wasn’t out on the field, Alex enjoyed playing fantasy football against his closest friends for which he drafted players based on their projected performances for the NFL. His favorite team was the New England Patriots, thanks to his dad’s family, based in the New England region.

Moreover, Alex demonstrated his love for sports through his collection of Fathead sports training cards. Alex had over 25 cards in his collection, which he traded among his friends when he went to Eagles Landing Camp in Boca Raton, Florida each summer since he was 9 years old.

In his spare time, Alex entertained himself through playing video games and watching various TV series. His most recent favorite video game was Fortnite, which he played on his Playstation with friends every day. Alex also played Call of Duty and various sport-themed games on his Playstation 4.

Alex watched many TV shows as well, including “Naruto,” “Breaking Bad,” “Game of Thrones” and “Lost.” The variety of genres demonstrates Alex’s willingness to try and enjoy new, unique things.

Alex even watched “House of Cards” for his brother since it was Ryan Schachter’s favorite show. Although he may not have yet known “what was going on with the politics and processes,” he still watched it anyway, according to Ryan Schachter. His favorite TV character was Naruto Uzumaki, the boisterous and optimistic hero whose ninja values inspired him.

Alex was also a car aficionado; he enjoyed cars of all types, but had a specific affinity for Tesla cars. Alex loved his dad’s deep blue metallic Tesla Model S and was looking forward to driving his dad’s new bright red Tesla Model 3 when he earned his learner’s permit upon turning 15.

Alex did not always have an easy life; his mother passed away when he was only 4 years old. Despite experiencing this hardship, Alex grew up in a loving family, especially after his father married his stepmother, Caryn Desacia, when he was young, granting him two adoring stepsisters, Morgan and Avery. Alex loved his stepmother and her children like his own, calling her Mom and her daughters his sisters.

Alex greatly admired and loved his older brother, Ryan; the pair shared a room for many years and Alex even joined the DECA program on his big brother’s advice. The Schachter family takes solace in the fact that their adored Alex is now with his mother Debbie up in heaven. Story by Kevin Trejos; photos courtesy of Max Schachter

Alex was always happy, very committed and passionate about anything he did, and he always tried to do his best.