On Saturday, Ryan Taylor was in the company of his group of friends at Diocesan College (Bishops) enjoying the school fête. Around noon on Sunday he was found dead, hanging by a rope from one of the windows of his boarding house.
Ryan, 16, had been a boarder in the White House since he entered the school during the second term of 2001.
He was the only child of Julia and Bill Taylor, who were at a church camp in Tulbagh when the tragedy occurred.
The headmaster of Bishops, Grant Nupen, told the Cape Times on Monday that the school's security staff had alerted him to what had happened.
"They told me there was a boy hanging from one of the windows at the White House," he said. This was shortly after 1pm.
When he arrived, Nupen found the housemaster, Angus Firth, and assistant housemaster, Wayne Sudding, attempting a rescue effort.
They had contacted emergency services, the police and the school's security staff.
Once it was established that Ryan was dead, Nupen said: "I held an immediate meeting with the housemasters and the school chaplain, Martin Coomer, to advise me on the best way in which to break the news to Mr and Mrs Taylor."
The Taylors left Tulbagh immediately and arrived at the school with their pastor, Graham Evans, of the Assembly of God Church in Tableview.
"The family have since been in contact with us, the police and emergency services and we are working together to plan a funeral and memorial service," Nupen said.
According to Nupen, several boys had seen or spoken to Ryan in the morning.
Ryan was, Nupen said, "polite and well-mannered" and appeared to have a good relationship with his peers.
Asked whether any bullying could have been involved, Nupen said: "Categorically not. Part of the Bishops ethos is to provide support for our students and bullying is not tolerated at the school."
Ryan was seeing one of the school counsellors and receiving academic support.
"He was showing progress," said Nupen.
The teenager had recently been invited to an achiever's tea by the headmaster to congratulate him for making the first sailing team in the Mirror class.
He was also a hockey player and enjoyed mountain climbing.
Ryan had not been a leader as such, Nupen said, but he had a healthy relationship with other boys, including the headmaster's son, Stuart, who was also in Grade 10.
"Ryan came from a strong Christian family background," said Nupen.
A note written by Ryan had been found. It was not addressed to anyone.
It is understood he found life difficult.
The school has offered counselling for pupils and parents who wish to receive it.
In a scheduled address at evensong on Sunday, Bishop Christopher Gregorowski told told the boys that teen suicides wanted to find answers, but that often there were none to be found.
Psychiatrist Pieter Cilliers said on Monday that it was a myth that children and teenagers did not get depressed.
Because of the myth, many cases were not diagnosed.
"Teen suicide is the third most common cause of death in the United States."
One of the factors that contributed to children and teens not receiving help when they were depressed was that "there is a stigma attached to psychiatry and psychiatric illness", Cilliers said.
"People are seen as 'mad', which is a tragedy because depression is treatable."
Police confirmed on Monday that they did not suspect foul play.
Nupen said that "Ryan told people he had always wanted to be a Bishops pupil".
The school flag was flying at half-mast on Monday.