The wake for Mr. Pasko will take place today, Thursday, Feb. 4, at Defriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Burial will take place in Poland An obituary appears on page 12.
Mr. Pasko died at Stony Brook University Medical Center, where he was taken after his friend Ryan Lademann allegedly shot him while cleaning a rifle at Mr. Lademann's Pine Neck Road residence in Southold last Saturday night, Southold Town Police reported.
At the time of the arrest, police charged Mr. Lademann, also 26, with second-degree assault. Southold Town Police Capt. Flatley described the incident as "more of an accident," and said Mr. Lademann had told police he was cleaning his gun when it discharged.
Mr. Lademann was arraigned last Sunday before Judge William Price, who released him on his own recognizance. The case is now in the hands of Suffolk County Homicide Squad detectives. It is unclear whether or not the death of Mr. Pasko will prompt a change in the charge, said a spokesperson for the county district attorney's office.
On a Facebook tribute page, friends of Mr. Pasko -- whose nickname was "Sko" -- describe him as an athletic, friendly and funny person who knew how to make an entrance.
"You truly were a one-of-a-kind person," wrote Tina Meyer, one of 650 members of the online group. "Southold will miss you!"
"It is not fair that your life had to end so early," wrote Michael Langer. "You will be missed, but the fun times we all had with you will live on forever."
Katie Walsh Garrett wrote the following comment on The Suffolk Times Web site shortly after the news of Mr. Pasko's death was posted this week: "I graduated with Lukasz and met him on his first day at Southold School. In school, he treated me with respect and kindness. I admired Lukasz very much and have very fond memories of him."
eschultz@timesreview.com