Photo courtesy of Fox 4.

Antonio Arellano-Banda, who completed his sophomore year at the McKelvey School of Engineering, died on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. He was 20 years old. 

Antonio grew up in Plant City, Florida, and studied mechanical engineering. He was a Kessler Scholar and worked at the Crow Observatory. He is remembered for his brilliance, generosity, and kindness. 

To those who didn’t know him well, Antonio could be slow to reveal himself — but once you cracked his shy exterior, his exuberant personality shone through. 

“Sometimes he would just surprise you out of nowhere, because he was a very kind person, so whenever he’d make a joke, it’d be just so out-of-pocket funny,” said friend and rising junior Brenda Bulnes.

Antonio’s energy was infectious. He would greet everyone with a smile and an exuberant wave. He played “Linger” by The Cranberries on repeat. He was a great listener, and he made the best chocolate chip cookies. He remembered birthdays and always made sure to find a way to celebrate them. He was also a fiercely competitive card player.

“There’s so many times, [he’d be] like, ‘Okay, just one more game… no, I’m gonna beat you at least once,’ and that never ended,” said rising junior and friend Frida Vasquez, beaming at the memory.

Antonio began working at Crow Observatory during his first year at WashU and immediately set himself apart with the depth of his astronomical knowledge. On Friday nights, you could find him at the observatory, hanging out with the telescope. He was happy to answer any question a visitor might pose and eager to volunteer for any opportunity. When local Girl Scout troops visited the observatory, Antonio shared his ambition to work on space rovers, encouraging the girls to pursue STEM so they, too, could one day participate in space exploration.

“It takes a very good kind of person who not only wants to take joy in something that a lot of people take joy in, but [also] bring other people into that,” said Antonio’s coworker, rising senior Ryan O’Connor.

Besides the cosmos and his engineering coursework, Antonio also had a passion for linguistics. No matter what subject he took on, he always seemed to master it with ease. 

“He was so smart that he couldn’t even comprehend how smart he was,” said rising senior and friend Luis Tinajero-Areola. 

Tinajero-Areola and Antonio first met during a Kessler pre-orientation program in the summer of 2024. Tinajero-Areola was a program assistant assigned to guide Antonio’s pre-first-year cohort, but the two instantly “clicked,” kicking off a summer of late-night runs for Taco Bell and ice cream. A shared physics class would turn into an entire day spent together — from class to lunch to Kessler study hall in the evening. But there was one thing they couldn’t do together: focus.

“The funny thing is, we never studied together because we [would] start yapping about something, and he was just an amazing person to talk to,” Tinajero-Areola said. 

Antonio was always ready to lend a friend a helping hand. During his sophomore year, he would insist on making the trek from the South 40 to visit his friends in the Village. In the midst of busy exam seasons, Antonio would readily put his own studying aside to help his friends. And during the cold winter months, he would offer the jacket off his own back at the slightest shiver. 

“He was very selfless,” Bulnes said. “Every single person who will talk about him will say that he would always put everyone else first.” 

Antonio was loved dearly by his friends, family, and the community he cultivated at WashU. The kindness he extended to everyone lucky enough to cross paths with him was exceptional.

“He wasn’t just a best friend for me,” Vasquez said. “He was more like a brother. When you’re away for college, it’s really hard — so for Antonio to be a part of my family is very special.”

Antonio is survived by his parents and three younger siblings. 

A Funeral Mass was held at St. Clement Catholic Church in Plant City, Florida, on May 29, 2026.