Friends, family of 'brilliant, handsome, giving' Canton High senior stunned by his death

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I've had this story on my computer for about three or four days. It's a tough one.

Friends, family of 'brilliant, handsome, giving' Canton High senior stunned by his death

Ed Wright
Hometownlife.com
Published 12:07 p.m. ET Apr. 26, 2021 | Updated 7:26 a.m. ET Apr. 28, 2021

Whether it was retrieving his younger sister's bicycle from a garage attic, helping cook pancakes for a senior citizens breakfast or making freshly-squeezed lemonade at a fundraiser for underprivileged kids, 17-year-old Canton High School senior Preston Bell never hesitated when asked to lend a hand.

"A few weeks ago, a friend asked me if I could hang out, but my bike was still packed away in the garage attic," recounted Montgomery Bell, Preston's only sibling and a freshman who also attends Canton High School. "When I went downstairs to ask Preston if he'd help, he was on the phone, but he said right away, 'All right!' Once he got the bike down he even asked me if I wanted him to put air in the tires."

"Preston was the kindest, most generous person," added his mom, Jessica, tears welling up in her eyes. "He would do anything for anyone. His best friends said he always wanted to make sure everyone felt included, and he always made them laugh." ... Hailed by those who knew him as thoughtful, brilliant, handsome and driven, Preston Bell took his own life April 21, minutes after returning home from his morning block of classes at Canton High School.

Preston's death came two months after [link: https://www.freep.com/story/news/2021/02/25/plymouth-teenager-who-died-suddenly-remembered-his-kindness/6819437002/|Salem High School junior Grant Waitz] took his own life. ... Although Preston was being treated occasionally by a therapist for bouts of intermittent sadness, his death shocked his family and group of tight-knit friends. ... "What is the most heartbreaking about all of this," Jessica Bell explained, "is there are so many people who would have dropped whatever they were doing to help him get through this. But he never asked. ... "Everyone we talked to at his visitation (April 23) and the funeral (April 24) is blown away by this. No one saw it coming."


Preston Bell is pictured with his family: sister Montgomery and parents Jessica and Jeff. Submitted

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How to get help

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or text TALK to 741741.

Contact reporter Ed Wright at [e-mail] or 517-375-1113.