Caleb Sturgis

Caleb Jonathan Sturgis, 25, of West Chester, PA died Wednesday, June 27, in a one-car accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Tredyffrin Township.

Born in Clearfield, PA., in 1993, Caleb was the beloved son of Scott and Lori (Chernisky) Sturgis; loving brother of Tanya, Cassandra and Jared dear grandson of paternal grandmother, Joan Sturgis; beloved partner of Renjason Patulot.

Caleb, who was deaf, had just started a job, as a Care Manager, in May with PAHrtners Deaf Services, which offers behavioral, developmental, and therapeutic support to deaf people. He was on his way to work Wednesday morning when the crash occurred.

"He was very excited to be getting on with his life," said his father, Scott.

When he was young, Caleb was home-schooled, and like his mother and two sisters, he then attended Gallaudet University, a college for the deaf in Washington. He left school just a few credits shy of graduating, but was planning to complete his bachelor's degree once he adjusted to the job at PAHrtners Deaf Services, his father said.

Renjason Patulot, with whom Caleb was in a committed relationship, said the two men shared many interests and talked for hours about politics, philosophy, and the meaning of life. Patulot, of Barrington, was struck by Caleb's kindness and care for others, even strangers.

"Those things stood out and helped me grow," Patulot said. "It was not a fairy-tale relationship. It had its ups and downs, but we would always come through and boost each other up. And it's just sad that the journey is cut short for him."

Caleb loved animals and was devoted to the family's dogs and cats. He had a special way with them. Though he usually communicated via sign language, he had an uncanny knack for summoning the cats from remote parts of the house when no one else could and would spend time with the family felines on their schedule. The trick was a special sound in his voice, his father said.

All who loved him will miss his sense of discovery and his love of family. He loved to hike and explore strange places. He collected "Weird Places" books and explored Chester County, Maryland and the Pine Barrens. He became obsessed with ghosts and spirits, and also hunted for the Jersey Devil in the Pine Barrens. His brightly burning candle kept him awake long into the night, enjoying long late-night chats on a thousand different topics.

That flame that shone so bright blew out too early. His family expected to be watching Caleb's new career take off, his degree get finished, and he and his partner settle down. He'd finally settled into a professional job and looked forward to saving his money for his own place and trips. He thought he would have lots of time to spend doing the things he loved and planning the next adventure.

He was not a football fan, and so only learned of his shared name with Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis through others. He once received a misdirected request for an autograph in the mail from one of the placekicker's fans, his father said.