Obituary: Andrew Accardi, 20, of Westport

The following obituary was submitted by the Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home. 

Andrew P. Accardi passed away at the age of 20, early on the morning of Oct. 31, 2013 after a fifteen year battle with cancer.  

A remarkable young man, Andrew managed to perpetually juggle a schedule of treatment, testing and hospital stays with a full academic career and as many sports as he could possibly play. He made friends everywhere he went and touched many lives with his personal courage and his inspiring grace in the face of a life threatening illness.

A 2011 graduate of Staples High School and a lettered member of a very fine Staples High School Connecticut State Championship golf team, Andrew went on to his first choice college, Villanova University.  He earned a scholarship awarded by the Susan Fund in Fairfield County to cancer survivors who were continuing their educations. 

At college, he entered the very competitive Villanova School of Business, majoring in Finance and Marketing and had the happiest days of his young life. As an active brother in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, Andrew made the close friendships that would brighten his life and give him the friends who took the time to know him beyond the history of the illness that had defined his youth. For that, he was forever grateful.

Andrew's plight inspired the help of family and loving friends along with him to form Andrew's Army, a charitable organization that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support Neuroblastoma research at the Children’s' Hospital of Philadelphia. By nature a very private person, Andrew kept his own counsel especially as regarded his medical history. He rarely discussed it outside his family but despite that, Andrew's life and story were an inspiration to his friends, family, teachers, coaches and even his physicians and nurses.

Andrew Accardi is survived by his loving mother, Ellen; three adoring sisters, Andrea, Christine and Caroline; and his proud father, Frank.

Andrew's Family would like you to join them to celebrate his life at a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at 10:00 am directly at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 149 South Pine Creek Road in Fairfield. Interment will be private. 

The Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home 50 Reef Road, in Fairfield Center has been entrusted with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please consider a generous donation in his memory to: Andrew's Army in support of CHOP. Please mail to: Maura Mitarotondo, Treasurer Andrew's Army in Support of CHOP, 
64 Shorefront Park, Norwalk, CT 06854. To send online condolences please visit www.shaughnesseybanks.com.