BY MICHELLE KIM

Family and friends are stunned at the loss of a 21-year-old New Boston man who was shot in the head Saturday and died Sunday at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Tucker Blanchard was critically injured by a gunshot wound to the head Saturday, Oct. 6, around 7 p.m. A friend had dropped by and the two men were showing each other their guns, said Tucker’s mother, Deborah Blanchard.

“It was just an accident,” she said. “It’s unfortunate we did just get back from a funeral, but it was not a suicide thing.”

The family had attended the funeral of Tucker’s uncle, Luke Tenhave, in Manchester that morning, who had recently died from a forklift accident. Tucker had gone to support his two cousins, said Tucker’s aunt, Susan.

“The family’s gone through a lot,” said Susan. In addition to Tucker’s uncle, Tucker’s aunt’s mother had also recently passed away.

Family and friends repeatedly described Tucker as a happy-go-lucky guy who was never in a bad mood, always looking for the next party, loved being around people and always had a smile on his face.

“Everybody liked him; I never met anyone who had a problem with him,” said his sister Kelsie, 18, a freshman at Savannah College of Art and Design. “He was friends with everyone, all different kinds of people.”

The family had driven down to Savannah at the beginning of the semester to drop her off in what would be their last family vacation.

“He told me it was weird at home without me and that the missed me and loved me,” said Kelsie.

Family members described Tucker as a BMX biking enthusiast who would always be riding out in the woods or at a skate park in Manchester.

“He actually rented mini-equipment and made jumps in his yard, without his parents knowing at the time,” said Susan.

His friend James Lambert described him as a “big-hearted kid”  who was always there for his friends. “He just loved to hang out and ride our bikes, always trying to find something new to do,” Lambert said. He paused a moment to collect himself. “I have a million things in my head, but that’s all I can really say right now.”

Tucker, a 2005 graduate of Goffstown High School who pitched for the baseball team, was learning carpentry from his uncle and hoped to have his own carpentry business one day.

A family and friends gathering was held Wednesday, Oct. 10, at the New Boston Community Center, and a burial of the urn will be held at a date to be determined. A Facebook page was also set up to commemorate his passing.

The shooting investigation is being handled by the State Police, Troop B.