25-Year-Old U.S. Air Force Cadet Passes Away

Officials are investigating the death of a 25-year-old U.S. Air Force cadet.

Cadet 2nd Class Jesse Fimian, of Brookfield, Massachusetts, was found deceased Sunday night by emergency responders.

“A difficult day as we mourn the loss of C2C Jesse Fimian. Emergency responders notified Academy officials of his death, which is under investigation,” the U.S. Air Force Academy tweeted.

“Jesse was an enlisted AF munitions specialist, completed the Prep School, & then joined the Class of ’24.”

A difficult day as we mourn the loss of C2C Jesse Fimian.
Emergency responders notified Academy officials of his death, which is under investigation.
Jesse was an enlisted AF munitions specialist, completed the Prep School, & then joined the Class of '24. #NeverForgotten pic.twitter.com/7oDCEtFwJd

— U.S. Air Force Academy (@AF_Academy) May 2, 2023

“Today, we are saddened by the death of one of our own at our Academy,” said Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark, USAFA Superintendent.

“Jesse will be remembered for his contributions in Cadet Squadron 27 and his passion for space operations. I send my deepest sympathy to Jesse’s family at home and his newly found family and friends here at USAFA.”

KKTV reported:

A full complement of support services including Academy chaplains, mental health professionals, leaders, and others were in place for cadets, faculty and staff. Classes and training were also optional for cadets on Tuesday.

Agents of the Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations are conducting an investigation, standard protocol in the death of a military member according to the news release.

“Jesse entered the U.S. Air Force Academy via the Prep School after serving in the Massachusetts Air National Guard as an Ammo troop,” said Brig. Gen. Paul D. Moga, Commandant of Cadets. “Cadet Squadron 27, along with Jesse’s friends, family, and many others throughout the Cadet Wing, need our support during this difficult time. We delayed the start of classes yesterday morning to allow squadrons to notify their cadets, give members time to process the news and, if required, begin the grieving process.”

Stars and Stripes noted that Fimian is the third cadet from the academy to die this year.

The loss follows that of Cadet 1st Class Cole Kilty, 22, who died off-campus in early March from a self-inflicted injury, according to the coroner’s report.

Kilty was set to graduate in June as a second lieutenant with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, according to his LinkedIn profile.

In January, Cadet 3rd Class Hunter Brown, 21, died on his way to class from a blood clot stemming from a weeks-old foot injury, according to the coroner’s report.

Brown, who majored in management and minored in French, helped the Falcons’ football team notch back-to-back 10-win seasons.