By Kiara Catanzaro
News Assignment Editor
Any student, faculty or staff member can tell you there’s no stronger community than the “Bona Bubble,” and the campus proved that to be true while coming together during a tragic accident.
Tyler Davis, a sophomore history major, went missing after an off-campus party on Friday, Nov. 22. An investigation began the next day by the Cattaraugus County Sherriff’s Department. However, Davis’ body wasn’t found until Sunday, Nov. 24, where he was officially pronounced dead by the Sherriff’s Department.
After the news, students from the class of 2016 rallied together to plan a project that would remember and celebrate Davis. Rose Brown, sophomore class president, came up with the idea the Sunday evening after learnng of Davis’ death.
“I posted an idea about creating a bench in Tyler’s honor on the Class of 2016 Facebook group page, and other students seemed to like the idea as well,” Brown said. “Other students added comments and suggestions for the project. We plan to have a bench with the lyrics of ‘Let it Be’ on it.”
According to Brown, because the suggestion for the project was recent, it hasn’t been proposed to university at this time. However, Brown discussed ideas for fundraising to make this idea a reality.
“Funding will come from the Class of 2016 when we begin selling our ‘Once A Bonnie, Always a Bonnie’ shirts during the spring semester,” she said. “All of the proceeds will go toward the bench, and other fundraising ideas are still being suggested.”
Brown said she hopes that enough funds will be raised and the project will be completed sometime during the spring semester.
“Spring of 2014 would be ideal because we want this project completed in memory of Tyler,” she said. “The location of the bench is planned to be on the trail somewhere where all students, especially those who knew Tyler, can go off campus, be alone and remember him.”
Brown said the vigil hosted in the university chapel on Sunday, Nov. 24 served as a true indication of how the death of one St. Bonaventure student can affect the entire community.
“It was truly remarkable how St. Bonaventure students, staff, and faculty reacted to the situation and the vigil on Sunday really said it all,” Brown said. “The chapel was packed, and I know at least half of the students never knew Tyler, but knew that we had lost a Bonnie, which affects every student equally.”
Brown shared her reaction to the amount of supportive posts on social media regarding Davis.
“There is no other place like St. Bonaventure,” Brown said. “In times like this, our true colors do show, and we stick together, and that’s what this school is all about.”
Brown said it’s important that the class of 2016 and the entire community comes together to remember a fellow Bonnie.
“As class president, I felt it was needed for our class to do something in remembrance, as did the other class officers,” Brown said. “We hope the bench will leave a part of Tyler on this campus for many years to come.”
