Goshen community mourns teen who died on first day of school

Thirteen years ago when Corey and Melissa West of Goshen welcomed their second son, Peyton, into their lives, they knew his life could be short.

Before the age of five, Peyton underwent three surgeries as a result of a congenital disability that caused the left side of his heart not to form.

The Wests faced their saddest reality last Thursday, Aug. 17 when Peyton died unexpectedly on the first day of school.

“We’re not sure what happened,” Corey West said. “All of his numbers looked good.”

Peyton was entering the eighth grade at Goshen Middle School – an accomplishment given the health challenges he faced for much of 2017.

In January, Peyton’s heart began to fail. By the next month, he was admitted to the hospital and placed on a donor list. Two weeks later he was approved for a transplant, and a donor's heart was found.

Derek Cisneros, a 12-year-old boy from Iowa, died in a car accident the same day Peyton was admitted to the intensive care unit.

“His family believes (Derek) looked down and picked Peyton to take his heart,” Corey West said.

The surgery was in March. The recovery process was slow and challenging. After a summer of hard work, Peyton was ready for the new school year.

His big brother, Ethan, was taking him to school last Thursday when Peyton said he didn’t feel good and something was wrong, West said.

“Ethan tried to get him out of the car, but he just collapsed, and the squad was called,” he said. The cause of death is unknown pending autopsy results. 

His generous smile and love of life are what many, including Goshen Superintendent Darrell Edwards, recall about Peyton.

“He was always everywhere,” Edwards said. “The kid had a huge personality. He was a huge sports fan. He attended a lot of sports events.

“The thing that stands out about Peyton, for me, is this infectious smile. He had this smile that wouldn’t quit and was sort of contagious. He was an awesome young man who lived life to the fullest.”

The visitation and burial are open to the public. Peyton loved people, and that’s the way he would want it, his father said.

Visitation is 5-9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Goshen High School. A service is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the Eastside Christian Church, 5874 Montclair Blvd., Milford. Memorial donations can be made to The Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 5202 Cincinnati, OH 45201-5202.