Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – A college student from New Jersey tragically lost his life while on spring break in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, when he fell to his death from the third floor of the Melia Hotel.
Henry Meacock, 19, was attempting to jump from one balcony to another to retrieve an ID or phone that a girl had dropped from her balcony when the incident occurred on March 15. Meacock was a finance major at Ohio State University, and his obituary described him as “a gentleman to his very core” who “oozed kindness wherever he went.”
The Jalisco state attorney general and medical examiner confirmed the incident, and social media posts from residents of Meacock’s hometown claimed that he was trying to retrieve an ID for another hotel guest who had dropped it. Others said he was attempting to retrieve a phone instead.
Meacock’s death was the second incident of a person falling from the third floor of the Melia this month, although the other victim, a 23-year-old man, survived.
Meacock was born in England and moved to the United States when he was three years old. He was a former soccer player and a golf caddie, as well as a loyal fan of West London’s Queens Park Rangers Football Club. Meacock enjoyed spending time at the New Jersey shore with his high school friends and was known for setting the tempo with his renowned playlists while enjoying student life at Ohio State University.
Meacock’s older sister Ellie posted an emotional tribute on Instagram following his death, describing him as “an extremely special soul that will live on forever” and saying that “nobody will ever have a smile quite like yours.”
The Jalisco prosecutor’s office is still conducting interviews and investigating the case, but the fall is believed to be an accident. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said they are monitoring the investigation and are prepared to provide appropriate consular assistance.
