Christian Michael Cygan, a dedicated senior-year honors civil engineering student at Lawrence Technological University in suburban Detroit and an ASCE student member, has died. He was 21.
Cygan, S.M.ASCE, was a victim of SUDEP – sudden, unexpected death of someone with epilepsy, which occurs in people who are otherwise healthy, no other cause being found in an autopsy. Each year, just over one in 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP. Research on these occurrences only began in 2014.
He was highly regarded by his Lawrence Tech professors and admired as a grateful, humble student who strove for excellence. Each summer he enjoyed his civil engineering internships, and often spoke with excitement and pride about contributing to the rebuilding of Detroit as a future employee of Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.
At Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Cygan was known as a respectful, hardworking, and dedicated student, athletic and talented, who played on the football team as a guard and center.
Cygan’s family will walk in his stead at Lawrence Tech on graduation day, May 6, to receive his civil engineering degree. The National Awareness Walk Day for SUDEP will take place on the same day. The family encourages research into SUDEP. Learn more at epilepsy.com/complications-risks/early-death-sudep.
Cygan spread his love to his father, mother, sister, and brother, the family dogs, Detroit Lions football, and his time spent golfing, boating on Lake Erie, and being present daily with his cousins.
