Friends and fans of Massachusetts-based rock musician Owen Leahy are coming together to show their support for his family after his death. After the musician, a member of the emo band The Pointless, “passed away suddenly” at the age of 28 on Monday, Jan. 6, according to an online obituary, a GoFundMe launched to help his family with “funeral and other related expenses” quickly surpassed its $20,000 goal.
The page was created by Leahy’s close friend, Juliet Cruze, who expressed her heartbreak at Leahy’s death. Writing on the page, Cruze said, “I’m absolutely heartbroken to have learned about the passing of my best friend Owen Leahy today.” Cruze added that she created the fundraiser to help Leahy’s family, adding that “proceeds will be sent along to Brendan Leahy, Owen’s father, in order to help with any funeral and other related services.” The GoFundMe has raised more than $29,000, surpassing its original $20,000.
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Born in Winchester, Massachusetts and raised in Reading, Leahy was described as an “undeniable talent” who was “a carpenter by trade and a musician by choice.”
“Owen was so many things to so many people. To his family, he was a loving son, a protective brother, and the family prankster. To his DIY Emo Band, This Is Pointless, he was a co-founder and bass player,” his obituary continued. “In the community of recovery, Owen was a mentor, a support system, and dedicated to helping those looking to change their lives for the better. Owen was proud to have celebrated 10 years of his own sobriety. If you had the privilege of becoming a friend of Owen’s, you were a friend for life. He would do anything for those he loved and those in need.”
Paying tribute to to Leahy on Facebook, his friend and bandmate Rob wrote that they co-founded The Pointless with Rob roughly 10 years ago after they first met as teenagers “at an alternative high school for kids who struggle with substance abuse issues,” he said. According to Rob, he and Leay “immediately became close solely based on our music taste and the fact that neither of us were looking to actually stop getting high at that time. It is hard to think about now (having been so long ago) but I remember feeling incredibly relieved to have found a friend at a time in my life where I was so lost.”
Reflecting on their sobriety journeys, Rob recalled “coming home from rehab, getting my phone back and getting a call from Owen within minutes inviting me to hang out and hit a meeting. My entire network of friends in recovery and in AA, I met through Owen. There is no doubt in my mind that if it were not for him, I would not be here.”
Rob said that his friend “struggled with addiction and mental health. Unfortunately, these types of issues are a life-long battle. in Fall of 2024, after 10 years of sobriety, Owen picked up.”
He remembered Leahy for his love of music, sharing that “he loved everything about DIY emo. He loved being in a band, he loved going to basement shows, he loved playing shows, and he loved the community. It is impossible for me to express how special and out-going he was. He has been a part of every good thing in my life that has given me purpose.”
He continued, “there are no real ways for me to describe the grief I feel. Even this post is basically scattered thoughts that I am trying to make sense of. For all of you that have supported this is pointless in the past, I want to thank you for making this real for us, like we were a part of something important.”
Leahy’s sister, Grace Leahy, also paid tribute, writing on X, “For the world’s greatest brother, i’ll love you for eternity.”
Leahy was laid to rest on Tuesday, Jan. 14. He is survived by his parents and his sisters, Grace Leahy and Emily Leahy.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). SAMHSA’s National Helpline is free, confidential and available 24/7.
