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Trevor Cadigan, journalist and former Business Insider intern, dies at 26

Trevor Cadigan was one of five people killed Sunday evening in a New York City helicopter crash. Friends and colleagues remember him as passionate and selfless.

  • Trevor Cadigan, 26, was one of five people killed Sunday evening in a New York City helicopter crash.
  • Cadigan recently interned at Business Insider and quickly impressed colleagues with his passion and enthusiasm.
  • Friends and coworkers remember Cadigan's selflessness and his love of journalism.
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Trevor Cadigan, a former Business Insider intern who produced video for "The Bottom Line," was among five people killed Sunday evening in a New York City helicopter crash. He was 26.

Cadigan worked at Business Insider from this past October through February, during which time his talent and ambition quickly shone.

"He was very enthusiastic and was certainly an overachiever," said Sara Silverstein, a Business Insider editor.

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Friends and colleagues said he was someone who gave his time and energy selflessly, even when there was no personal gain.

"He'd constantly ask to help me, and anyone around him, if he could help, just because," a friend and former Business Insider colleague, Corey Protin, said. "There were no strings attached."

Cadigan, who dressed daily in a suit and tie for work, wasn’t afraid to stand out. But his seriousness for his job didn't get in the way of his affability and ability to make friends everywhere he went.

"He had a presence," another Business Insider colleague, Lauren Lyons Cole, said. "He was not afraid to make new friends and be himself."

Business journalism had long been a dream for Cadigan, and his passion for the industry came early. He grew up in Dallas, where his father, Jerry Cadigan, is a production manager at the ABC-affiliated Dallas-area television station WFAA. Cadigan grew up trailing his dad around the office and then working for a short time there in the summer of 2015.

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"He was passionate about journalism and found his calling," said Dave Muscari, a WFAA vice president.

Faculty at his college, Southern Methodist University, remember Cadigan as a student who cared deeply about his studies.

"He was very much a standout," said Mark Vamos, the William J. O'Neil chair of business journalism at SMU. "He was a great kid and somebody who you remember as a teacher. He was really engaged. He was interested in the material."

He majored in journalism and minored in business and Mandarin Chinese, and he led SMU's student-run broadcast The Daily Update as its news director.

Cadigan later worked in Beijing, where he produced videos for SupChina, a China-focused media startup.

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At Business Insider, Cadigan's ambition pushed him to meet frequently with senior leaders in the organization, including Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget and Global Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Carlson.

"He was a smart, talented, and ambitious young journalist and producer who was well-liked and made a big contribution to our team," Blodget said. "Our hearts go out to Trevor's family and friends."

"Trevor would meet with me every week, asking what he could do better," Carlson said. "He was ambitious, and he channeled it into hard work. When Trevor left BI, he sent me a note to say thank you. (He was conscientious and smart that way.) I responded, 'You're going to do great.' I was sure that he would."

Cadigan produced and edited some of the biggest guest interviews for Business Insider's "The Bottom Line" show over the past few months, including interviews with investment heavyweights, CEOs, and cryptocurrency experts.

"Today has easily been the worst day in five years for me at BI," Executive Producer Justin Maiman wrote in an email to colleagues. "He was a lovely young man who wore a tie more than me and Henry. He raised his hand for every job, big and small."

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Cadigan is survived by his parents, Jerry and Caton, and his sister, Kathleen.

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