Seamus Nee, a freshman business major, died unexpectedly April 5 when the vehicle he was riding in spun out of control in snowy conditions and collided with oncoming traffic. He was 19 years old. Police are still investigating but have ruled out alcohol or speed as factors in the crash.
Nee was riding in the front passenger seat of the vehicle when it spun out of control in the spring snow storm. Sgt. Dave Thomas of the Windham Police Department said a witness who was driving behind the vehicle reported it traveling about 10 miles per hour under the posted limit when the accident occurred. The Suzuki sport utility vehicle then struck oncoming traffic on the passenger side.
“Windham was getting snow, freezing rain and sleet. Trucks were laying down salt, which was turning some of it into slush,” Thomas said. “It looks like [the driver] hit a ridge of slush near the center of the road and overcorrected.”
According to Thomas, everyone involved in a fatal car accident is tested for blood alcohol levels. No one involved in this crash had been drinking.
“We didn’t find any evidence of drug use in the vehicle either,” Thomas said. Criminal charges are not expected in the investigation.
John Boyd, a Windham resident and Nee’s friend, was driving the SUV at the time of the accident. “He was a real good friend,” Boyd said. “It took something this tragic for me to really realize how good a friend he was. He was the kind of guy who if you were cold would give you the shirt off his back.”
Nee enjoyed basketball, football and especially golf. Boyd, who started to choke up during the interview, said Nee was a “die-hard” Celtics fan.
“His prized possession always hung on his door. It was a Larry Bird picture, signed to ‘Seamus,'” Boyd said.
Nee was co-manager of the men’s basketball team at USM. Dan Costigan, the team’s coach, is also a cousin of Nee’s father. He said Seamus’s memorial services were testaments to his popularity.
“His funeral was at the Holy Cross Church, which holds 1,400 people, and it was standing room only. It’s the most people I’ve ever seen at one funeral. I think it speaks for the kind of kid he was. At his wake, the line went across the street,” Costigan said.
Jeff Payne, Nee’s best friend, said Nee’s proudest moment was hitting a hole-in-one at the Portland Municipal Golf Course. He described Nee as a remarkably extroverted and cheerful personality.
“It didn’t matter what we were doing, he was always happy,” Payne said.
Nee started work at the Hannaford’s Supermarket in South Portland at the age of 15 and stayed there until he transferred for a short time to the Hannaford’s in Gorham and then became the manager of the men’s basketball team at USM, a work-study job.
Dan Howlett, a junior political science major at USM, supervised Nee at Hannaford’s during Nee’s senior year at Cheverus High School. “He was an excellent worker. He did everything we wanted him to do, and he even took over stuff that most part-time associates don’t do,” Howlett said.
By the time he left, Nee was in charge of stocking and ordering for the ice cream section of the South Portland store.
“He was a good kid,” Howlett said. “We enjoyed having him here.”
Nee was on the honor roll at Cheverus, where he graduated in 2002. By all accounts, he was doing excellent work at USM as well.
“He was a real standout. In a class of 60 people, he stood out in every way,” said Robert Jordan, associate professor of economics. “He was an excellent student. He’ll be sorely missed.”
Nee is survived by his parents and six younger siblings as well as numerous extended family members.