Leah ‘Lee’ Pearse dies in accidental fall while vacationing in Cancun

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“Leah brought light to every environment, sharing her passion for learning, nursing and patient care with others.

A Haverhill woman died last week in Cancún, Mexico, after falling while trying to enter her locked Airbnb rental through a third-floor balcony, her family said in a statement. obituary.

After a ‘great day at the beach, an amazing dinner and a fantastic dance,’ Leah ‘Lee’ Pearse, 20, returned to the Airbnb to find the keys had been locked inside, according to the obituary .

As she tried to reach the balcony, “tragically she slipped, fell and died instantly,” her family said.

A 2020 graduate of Classical Academy at Haverhill High School, Pearse worked at Massachusetts General Hospital as a certified practical nurse and was pursuing a master’s degree in nursing at Simmons University.

“So many people who have contacted us have expressed that a simple hug from Leah gives so much love and comfort,” her family said. “Leah needed an outlet for her love and desire to help others, so her biggest goal in life was to become the best nurse in the world.”

In a statement provided to Boston.com, MGH described Pearse as “vibrant” and said she worked in a transplant unit.

“His positive energy, creativity and thoughtfulness won the hearts of patients and staff at the MGH,” the hospital said. “Our community will come together in the coming days to honor Leah’s memory.”

Pearse’s family recalled his “magnetic” personality and tendency to bring out the best in those around him.

“People felt they knew her from the first interaction, and often immediately loved her for the ease her presence brought to every room she walked into,” the family recalls.

Helen Bellenoit, Pearse’s educational advisor at the school, shared a similar sentiment in a statement obtained by The Boston Globe.

“Leah brought light to all settings, sharing her passion for learning, nursing and patient care with others,” Bellenoit said. “She will be greatly missed by the entire nursing community.”

Pearse is survived by his father Reggie Pearse, his mother Amy Goldfarb, his sister Anna Pearse, his grandmother Judy Pearse and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, Pearse’s family set up a American Nurses Foundation fund in her memory, raising funds that will support, in part, mental health and nurse education programs.