18-Year-Old Student Stabbed to Death While Out Celebrating End of Semester: ‘Our World Will Never Be the Same’

An 18-year-old college student has died after being stabbed multiple times during a night out in Southampton, England, and his family is now paying tribute to him.

Henry Nowak suffered a puncture wound to his chest and two additional wounds to the back of his leg following an altercation with two men he did not know in the Portswood area, according to a news release from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

Henry, who was from Essex and living in Southampton for his studies, was pronounced dead at the scene. In a tribute shared with police on Sunday, Dec. 7, his family described the first-year student’s promising future and the life he was building.

“Our kind, intelligent, and talented son was in his first year at Southampton University studying Accountancy and Finance,” the family wrote. “He’d smashed his A-levels and was fully embracing university life, joining not one but two football teams, making new friends as well as working part-time at the local Morrisons.”

They said Henry was “loved by all those that knew him,” cherished as a son, brother, cousin, grandson, nephew and friend. “He was an all-round top lad and everyone who was lucky enough to share his company thought the same,” they added.

“He went on a night out with his new football teammates, celebrating the end of their first semester at uni. Devastatingly, he never made it home,“ the family said.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the investigation remains ongoing and urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

In an earlier news release, police said they were called to reports of an altercation at around 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. Four Southampton residents were arrested on suspicion of murder: a 22-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 51-year-old man and 52-year-old woman.

The publication reached out to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary for additional information about the suspects on Sunday, Dec. 7, but did not receive an immediate response.

Investigating officer DCI Rebekah Bartholomew said in the Dec. 4 release, “We are in the early stages of our investigation, and my team [is] working hard to piece together the exact circumstances and understand the moments that led up to the call to us.”

Bartholomew added that she believes “this to be an isolated incident.”

In their tribute, Henry’s family said they are “heartbroken.”

“Our hearts ache when we think of the bright future he had ahead of him, full of opportunity and adventures,” they wrote. “There are no words to describe just how heartbroken we are that we will never get to see him grow and [fulfill] his awesome potential. We are so proud of him and all he achieved. Our world will never be the same without our amazing Henry.”