Adragon De Mello
Encyclopedia
Adragon De Mello graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz
with a degree in computational mathematics
in 1988, at age 11, at the time the youngest college graduate in U.S. history (a record since broken by Michael Kearney
).
laureate by age 16. The elder De Mello was a karate master, flamenco guitarist, and former weightlifting champion, and he vigorously mentored Adragon from an early age.
By 1988, his parents had separated and, after a brief period in foster care
, he returned to the custody
of his mother, Cathy Gunn. Although a college graduate, he opted to enroll in Sunnyvale Junior High School (now Sunnyvale Middle School
) under the assumed name of James Gunn. He found it "nice because no one knew who [he] was" and was "upset" when local papers identified him after his graduation.
In 1994, he graduated from Homestead High School
.
In 2000, he was training to be an estimator
for a commercial painting company.
On March 15, 2001, the elder De Mello, who had allegedly called 9-1-1
claiming to be suicidal, was involved in armed standoff with Santa Cruz
police. He was subsequently charged with assault with a deadly weapon. De Mello, suffering from bladder cancer
, was released to the custody of his son. Agustin de Mello died on May 30, 2003.
As of 2003, De Mello was working for The Home Depot
.
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
with a degree in computational mathematics
Computational mathematics
Computational mathematics involves mathematical research in areas of science where computing plays a central and essential role, emphasizing algorithms, numerical methods, and symbolic methods. Computation in the research is prominent. Computational mathematics emerged as a distinct part of applied...
in 1988, at age 11, at the time the youngest college graduate in U.S. history (a record since broken by Michael Kearney
Michael Kearney
Michael Kevin Kearney is a former child prodigy known for setting several world records and teaching college at the age of 17.-Early life:...
).
Biography
His father, Agustin Eastwood De Mello (1929–2003), had set the goal that his son would become a Nobel PrizeNobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
laureate by age 16. The elder De Mello was a karate master, flamenco guitarist, and former weightlifting champion, and he vigorously mentored Adragon from an early age.
By 1988, his parents had separated and, after a brief period in foster care
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
, he returned to the custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
of his mother, Cathy Gunn. Although a college graduate, he opted to enroll in Sunnyvale Junior High School (now Sunnyvale Middle School
Sunnyvale Middle School
Sunnyvale Middle School is located in the Sunnyvale Elementary School District in Sunnyvale, California. It is one of the two grade 6–8 middle schools located in the ten-school district, the other being Columbia Middle School. The school mascot is a Spartan....
) under the assumed name of James Gunn. He found it "nice because no one knew who [he] was" and was "upset" when local papers identified him after his graduation.
In 1994, he graduated from Homestead High School
Homestead High School (Cupertino, California)
Homestead High School is a four-year high school serving north western Cupertino, western Sunnyvale, and portions of southern Los Altos, in Santa Clara County, California. Established in 1962, the school serves 2,270 students in grades 9 to 12 as part of the Fremont Union High School District...
.
In 2000, he was training to be an estimator
Estimator
In statistics, an estimator is a rule for calculating an estimate of a given quantity based on observed data: thus the rule and its result are distinguished....
for a commercial painting company.
On March 15, 2001, the elder De Mello, who had allegedly called 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
claiming to be suicidal, was involved in armed standoff with Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
police. He was subsequently charged with assault with a deadly weapon. De Mello, suffering from bladder cancer
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
, was released to the custody of his son. Agustin de Mello died on May 30, 2003.
As of 2003, De Mello was working for The Home Depot
The Home Depot
The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain...
.