Youth's Lives Every Day
“Summer lived more of a life in 17 years than most live in 100.” -Summer’s Classmate
Summer Devi Mehta was a person of immense “light,” a young woman whose presence was felt most vibrantly in the spaces where she could truly be herself. Whether she was acting in a theater production or serving as a Dungeon Master for a marathon family D&D session, Summer had a unique gift for delighting those around her. Summer’s father, Nick Mehta, remembers her as the child who would always find a way to make others laugh when they were sad, weaving a sense of joy into the every day. For the Mehta family, these memories of Summer’s creativity and deep love for her dogs and siblings remain the heartbeat of her legacy.
In the wake of their loss, the Mehta family continues to channel their grief into powerful advocacy. This journey was sparked by Summer’s own final wishes: a desire to support The Trevor Project. Led by Summer’s sister, Asha, the family launched a fundraiser that has resonated deeply with their community. By sharing Summer’s story in a way that highlights her humanity rather than just the tragedy of her death, they have brought people together to raise nearly $1 million. This collective effort has provided the family and their supporters with a shared sense of purpose during an incredibly difficult time.
Summer’s father, Nick Mehta, focuses a significant part of his advocacy on the importance of accepting transgender and nonbinary youth. He is candid about the learning curve many parents face, and emphasizes that the priority must always be “giving” and showing up for children. He says, “I think one thing that helps kids a lot is finding spaces where they feel seen.” Nick believes that for parents, the most empathetic path forward is to actively learn about their child’s lived experience. By focusing on the child’s needs rather than a preconceived outcome, families can create a foundation of unconditional support that is vital for well-being.
Creating safe, welcoming spaces is another cornerstone of the family’s mission. For Summer, the theater was a sanctuary; a place where she felt entirely accepted and seen. Nick recalls the beauty he witnessed as the theater community gathered for a celebration of life ceremony, held just days after her passing, where Summer’s friends and classmates played songs and shared uplifting stories. Building these communities of care, where youth can find peers and adults who understand them, is a critical step in fostering resilience.
The Mehta family also advocates for systemic changes that can help protect others, including improved training for school counselors. Nick highlights the need for counselors to move beyond a surface-level understanding to truly empathize with the unique challenges trans youth face, such as bullying. To Nick, when a young person feels safe enough to open up about their lived experience to a trusted adult, it creates a vital bridge to potentially life-saving support. By pushing for these structural and educational shifts, the family hopes to ensure that other students have the resources they need to navigate difficult times.
Ultimately, Summer’s legacy is one of transformative love and a call to action. Through the family’s work with The Trevor Project and their local community, the Mehtas are turning a personal loss into a beacon of hope for others. Their story serves as a reminder that while the pain of such a loss never truly fades, finding a way to focus on giving and advocacy can create a lasting impact, ensuring that Summer’s light continues to shine in the lives of the young people they help protect.
To honor Summer’s memory, the Mehta family invites the public to generously support their family’s fundraiser to help The Trevor Project continue saving young LGBTQ+ lives.
Resources
- LGBTQ+ young people can connect with The Trevor Project’s highly trained crisis counselors, who are available 24/7 and for free, at TheTrevorProject.org/get-help
- Parents and young people can check out The Trevor Project’s resources, such as our Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People and Coming Out Handbook, at TheTrevorProject.org/Resources
