Sophie’s Story

It is with great sadness that we share news of passing our beloved daughter Sophie Krupp 14 years of age. Sophie died peacefully in her sleep from an undiagnosed brain tumor. 

She was loved in her Speyer school community, her teachers, and all of her classmates. With a keen intellect, boundless curiosity, and a ready smile, Sophie was respected and well-liked. 

Sophie's early interest in studying the game of chess earned her quite remarkable achievements. In June of 2017, Sophie made the top-100 list of female players in the US of ages eight and under. While on the National Chess Team K-6, Sophie along with her Speyer teammates won trifecta championships three years in a row - NYC, NYS, and the US.

Her grace came from Sophie's 6 years of training with the American Ballet Theater. She demonstrated exceptional sportsmanship, always ready for a physical challenge. However, it is a competitive swimming with Condors in Westchester that taught her lessons of self-discipline, arduous work, and accomplishments. 

As swim head couch wrote, “Sophie was soft-spoken – around most people. I was fortunate enough to see another side of her… I watched her, along with her tight-knit friend group on the team, and saw a silly, boisterous, devil-may-care girl that I had not seen before. It is always so wonderful to peel back the layers that make up these kids as they grow in our program and see glimpses of who they are…”

Due to her involvement at Speyer, as a Chess Mentor, a volunteer in the Lower school classrooms, a Student Ambassador for admissions, and, more recently, as a participant in the Best Buddy program, Sophie was well known by entire school community and beyond.

Honoring Sophie

Sophie’s parents, Yuri and Victoria, have asked for support to be directed to the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation whose mission is dedicated to improving the treatment, quality of life, and long-term outlook for children and families affected by a brain or spinal cord tumor. Gifts of any size will fund research for a cure, programming such as Bereavement groups, survivor support groups and school/employment resources, Care Kits for families containing information and activities to help them understand and cope what they are going through, and events to raise awareness. 

Honor Sophie and help ensure that no family goes through the brain tumor journey alone. 

A Scholarship in Sophie’s name is in the process of being established - your gift will automatically support this scholarship once created.

A public visitation will be held from 5 PM to 7 PM on January 26, 2024 at the Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, 6110 Riverdale Ave., Bronx, New York 10471. A separate graveside service will take place on January 27, 2024 at Oakland Cemetery, Yonkers NY.