Luke B. Santos

Luke Bailey Santos, 20, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, passed away on February 20, 2024, in New York, New York. Born on April 4, 2003, in Newton, Massachusetts, Luke was the beloved son of Albertino Santos of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Dr. Allison Bailey of North Conway, New Hampshire; cherished brother of Grace Mary
Audette of North Conway, New Hampshire, and Samuel Lancaster Audette of Los Angeles, California; adored stepson of Dr. Joseph Francis Audette of North Conway, New Hampshire; and beloved grandson of Rita and Gary Bailey of Needham, Massachusetts, Alicia Santos of Chula Vista, California and Tamuning, Guam, and the late Pablo Santos of Tamuning, Guam. He leaves behind a multitude of loving aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and mentors, many of whom loved him as family, especially Pamela Thilo, Marc McGovern, and Samuel Gebru.
Luke was a 2021 graduate of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, Massachusetts and an economics major at Fordham University in New York, New York. A shining light, Luke was full of exuberance and passion. He had a natural charisma from an early age and loved meeting people from all walks of life. To have known Luke is to have instantly known a friend.
Luke had a truly rare combination of an inquisitive mind coupled with a strong desire to act upon whatever he put his mind to. His passion for life and service led him into organized politics after an 8th grade field trip to the Massachusetts State House sparked his interest, drawing him to have his own personal business cards printed, don his suit and tie, and venture back to the State House on his own to introduce himself to whomever he could. Luke had a sharp intelligence and an uncanny ability to connect with people and he put his many talents to effective use for various political campaigns starting from the age of 14.
By the time Luke turned 20, he had built a political resume that rivaled many people more than twice his age. Luke's analytical mind, diligent work ethic, and passion for learning everything about electoral politics were quickly recognized by many seasoned political operatives and elected officials across Massachusetts and beyond. He was an important part of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, where he supported the planning and execution of the 2018 Democratic State Convention and the statewide coordinated campaign. Luke played a critical role in the campaigns of Sam Gebru for Cambridge City Council, Marc McGovern for Cambridge City Council, Joe Kennedy III for U.S. Congress, Ayanna Pressley for U.S. Congress, Elizabeth Warren for U.S. Senate and President, Stephanie Everett for Massachusetts State Representative, and Tarik Lucas for Newton City Council. When he moved for college, Luke immediately jumped into the political life of his new home and worked on the New York City Council races of Julie Won, Yusef Salaam, and Christopher Bae.
Luke's passion for public service was limitless, extending beyond his two driving interests of affordable housing and social justice. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Luke founded and led the Mask Up Project as a junior in high school in April 2020. This volunteer group of high school students in Cambridge organized the making of over 800 face masks from repurposed fabric and distributed them for free to local shelters, organizations, and residents in need. As an undergraduate student, Luke translated his political experience into obtaining a coveted internship in late 2023 at Morgan Stanley, where he provided support to financial advisors and to the client service and business development teams.
Luke loved skiing at Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, New Hampshire, and relished spending summers with family on the shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he enjoyed many Chapin Beach sunsets and fishing excursions out of Chatham Harbor with his late cousin, Captain Tom George. Luke also loved to travel and explore, especially his Filipino heritage, introducing his friends to and sending his father updates on the various Filipino foods he would find in New York City. Luke brought joy to so many that were fortunate enough to have known him and will always be remembered for his independent spirit, love of nature, sharp analytical mind, boundless curiosity, and inspiring ambition.
Visiting hours are on Friday, March 1, 2024 from 9:30 AM to 11 AM at Saint Cecilia Parish, 18 Belvidere Street, Boston, MA 02115. Funeral mass will follow on March 1, 2024 at 11:30 AM at Saint Cecilia Parish. Relatives, friends, and colleagues are kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Luke's memory may be made to the MSPCA www.mspca.org. Directions and guestbook: www.keefefuneralhome.com.