Shanta Barrett

Anthony Shanta Kumara Benson Barrett

January 24th, 2002 – May 1st, 2019

Anthony Shanta Kumara Benson Barrett, born on January 24th, 2002, died in Boulder, Colorado on May 1st, 2019. Shanta was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka to Nilmini and adopted by David Barrett and Teri Benson on February 27th, 2003. After his adoption, he spent his first few months living in Boulder with his big sisters Arianna and Jayanthi Mala Benson and his parents, until he and his family moved to Vienna, Austria in September 2003.

Shanta attended the Austrian Kindergarten at the United Nations and then the Vienna International School in Austria and his young life there was filled with hiking, skiing and enjoying life in the beautiful city of Vienna. He enjoyed travelling around Austria and throughout Europe, especially the Greek Islands, and he gave and received love from his family and friends there. He made friends for life, who he loved dearly, especially his kind friend Priyani and “best friend” Peter! Several months before his 10th Birthday, he and his family moved back to Boulder and he continued school and many activities here, making good friends and having fun in school from elementary through high school. He became an awesome basketball player and continued his Viennese tradition as an avid baker and cook, dreaming of a career in basketball or in the culinary arts. He enjoyed creating impressive school projects, river rafting and skiing and was good at them all! He was a teenager, but his kindness and care for his friends and family was pronounced. During the past months in Boulder, his life was brightened by attendance and amazing new friends at the September School, as well as strong relationships with friends from his earlier years in Boulder; he seemed happy and appeared to be approaching a wonderful future.

His tragic and untimely death at 17 years old is devastating to his family and friends, who will miss him deeply and remember him forever. He is survived by his parents, David and Teri, his sisters Jay and Arianna, his aunts and uncles and his many friends. Upon the occasion of his death, we remember our dear Shanta Kumara, Prince of Peace, and how he touched our lives. May peace now be his fully and may his continuing journey carry him to a life full of happiness and love. His precious life, which began on the beautiful island of Sri Lanka and took him to the mountains of Colorado and Austria, was much too short and we will miss him always. We will never forget Arianna insisting that we adopt babies from Sri Lanka and Jay greeting him each morning at the orphanage there with “Tony, Tony!”. Nor will we forget the card he made for his bulletin board which read “Always be as kind as possible. It is always possible.” His presence in our lives will be felt and cherished forever.

In June or July we will have a ceremony during which we scatter his ashes and will let you know when we have the exact date. If you would like to send a donation to the Shanta Barrett Scholarship Fund at the September School here in Boulder, please transfer it to the September School account at Alpine Bank, Boulder, Colorado, Account # 8910444663 and indicate that it is a donation for this scholarship fund. You can also send a check to September School at 96 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 80302, should you like. Thank you very much.