Man responsible for UW’s iconic pink flamingos, Statue of Liberty dies

A famous University of Wisconsin-Madison student prankster died suddenly in New Jersey Tuesday, according to a release from the university.

Leon Varjian is best known for putting a foam Statue of Liberty on a frozen Lake Mendota and 1,000 plastic pink flamingos on Bascom Hill.

He was part of the Pail and Shovel political party on the UW campus in the late 1970s and early 80s.

When Varjian left Madison, he became a high school math teacher in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey.

Officials believe the 64-year-old died of a heart attack.