The San Diego community is mourning the loss of Zack Alexandre Kinney Uzzeni, a 17-year-old from El Cajon, California, who passed away on June 4, 2026, six days before his 18th birthday.
Zack was born on June 10, 2008, to Corrie Kinney and Jerome Uzzeni, and his death has left family, friends, classmates, and the entire West Hills High School community heartbroken.
Zack’s family shared that he died by suicide after bravely navigating mental health challenges he was working hard to address.
In choosing to share his story openly, his loved ones hope to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and bring awareness to the silent struggles that many young people carry every day.
Those who knew Zack described him as someone who had a rare and genuine warmth about him. He was bilingual in English and French, a deep thinker who cared passionately about history, biology, psychology, and the wider world.
Classmates and teachers at West Hills High School remembered a young man who walked into any room and made people feel seen, welcomed, and valued.
His athletic ability was something that left a lasting impression on many. Zack played soccer, ran cross-country, and was a dedicated hockey goaltender. He trained in Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai.
He loved lobster diving, spearfishing, snorkeling, surfing, rock climbing, and hiking. One classmate who had PE with him noted that no one could keep up with him and that watching him play was genuinely inspiring.
Yet Zack was not only defined by what he could do physically. Some of his most cherished moments were quieter ones: cooking from scratch, perfecting his own recipes, taking walks at Mission Trails Park, and having the kind of deep, meaningful conversations that most people never get around to. He loved animals and cared deeply about humanity.
Zack once wrote of himself: “I embrace struggles, but have the power to succeed and empathy to forgive.” He also wrote: “Life is a gift, even if it seriously hurts sometimes.”
And perhaps most poignantly: “I want to be remembered as a fighter in the ring and in life. I want to be loving, but protecting, and someone dedicated to bettering myself and the world.”
He was survived by his mother, Corrie Kinney; his father, Jerome Uzzeni; his brothers, Nathan and Enzo; his girlfriend, Kira, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and a wide network of family and friends across the United States, Canada, and France.
As his family remembered him: “If love could have saved him, this would never have happened.”
Per Zack’s wishes, no formal funeral service will be held. His family asks that, in his memory, people consider doing something small for a stranger or letting someone they care about know how much they mean to them.
Zack believed those small gestures had the power to change someone’s entire day.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You are not alone.
