The story was reported by three people.
The photos that have run with almost every story about the shooting deaths of three Virginia football players this week came from the team's annual pictures. Three people dressed in dark suits with white shirts and navy-and-orange ties are smiling.
In order to remember the genuine exuberance and love of life all three players showed, former Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall saved those pictures onto his cell phone and set them as his screen saver.
Mendenhall said that the smiles are real. Those dreams are real and their futures are as well. I feel fortunate to have been around them.
"Three Virginia football players killed" was the headline that ran above those photos. Mendenhall and his family and friends, as well as their teammates, family and friends, were more than football players.
He was a good friend to many people. Davis was a big believer. There was a person named PERRY who was an artist.
Their loss is felt most powerfully in Virginia, but it is felt across the country. Their loss is not limited to a box score or a depth chart.
These are good young men who did not deserve this. This is where the healing begins because you are able to celebrate life.
There was joy in the air and it was delivered to the world.
The team had a few high-fives and maybe a chest-bump before he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. When he arrived in the year 2020, that changed. Evan Pryor ran for an 83-yard touchdown in the opener.
A man ran after another man.
He ran 40 yards and waved his arms. Guys still do that. My seniors don't know who he is, but the way guys celebrate a touchdown began with him. It sums him up. When his teammates scored, he was so happy.
A crowd surrounds him. He sat at a front table in an athletics administration course at the University of Virginia.
Starsia has taught many Virginia athletes over the years. The man would always be in the center. He was open to creating a relationship with me as an experienced faculty member, as well as being open to friends and people around him. He would allow non-student-athletes into the circle.
He was a member of a military family. His father was a decorated Navy officer and an accomplished pilot. Before moving to Memphis, the family lived in Hawaii.
Running back Kenneth Walker III is an athlete at Arlington who is now with the Seattle Seahawks.
A football coach said that he was a happy person. He was always energetic. He liked having everyone around him.
He was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away in September of last year.
After his father died, Arlington's coaches didn't think he should play. The man called the person. He wanted to be on the field the next day.
It was hard for me to argue with that. He was allowed to go out there. He was playing with a lot of emotion. He played well. It was a very special moment to see him after everyone showed him love.
After transferring to Virginia, he moved into an off-campus apartment with two other people. Stewart was struck as a goofy guy with a contagious smile and became fast friends with everyone he met.
Stewart, whose parents had served in the military before he was born, inquired about all the places he had lived.
Stewart said that he talked about his father a lot. I used to ask why he was like that. He's always having fun. He said he got it from his pops.
His nature made him cook. The "Cooking with the Hoos" program helps athletes prepare healthy food at home. When Stewart was cooking, he liked what he served.
The feeling wasn't really good.
Stewart said that he wasn't a good cook. He'd make a cheeseburger every night and pair it with crazy things. A cheeseburger and calamari was the last meal I remember him eating. He had a cheeseburger with a corn dog and everything in the cabinet.
It was strange.
Stewart traveled with Chandler and Terry to Norfolk State University for the school's homecoming celebration last month. They went to a music festival.
Stewart said that it was easy to make friends with a different crowd of people. He gave that as a gift. Being in so many different places may have made it easier for him to get friends.
The family moved to Charlotte where Joey lived. College recruitment picked up after the senior season in which Devin scored 14 touchdown. He chose Wisconsin, Virginia and Maryland. Bronco Mendenhall was convinced that his son would pick Virginia. He signed with Wisconsin.
Then, in October of 2021. Mendenhall and the Virginia coach flew to Wisconsin to meet with the new member of the team. Even though Mendenhall would step down at Virginia, he knew he would fit in.
He had a smile that was larger than life. This person is fun to be around and full of light. You can't help but feel good about yourself if you are next to someone.
He almost felt him smiling as he text back. He was described as the anti-social media because he made genuine impressions.
Jack Hamilton, an American studies professor at Virginia, said that he was having the best day of his life.
There is a state playoffs game on Friday. Each time Hough crosses the goal line, they will celebrate him.
He made the world a better place because of who he was. He was a talent. The way he interacted with people is what this world is missing.
We need more people like him.
Nobody on the football team was surprised to see a smiling face on the phone screen when they got the call.
Even though the Virginia football team had lost earlier in the day, Lavel Davis Jr. was still calling to offer his support to his alma mater. Davis told the players to keep pushing.
Sibert didn't speak to Davis again. Since Monday, he has recalled that video chat.
Sibert said that he had an impact on everyone he met. You could not find a better child.
Those who knew Davis described him as one of a kind, unique, and special because of that call. Those who know him best point to his big smile, boundless curiosity, and determination to change the world.
They point to his work ethic. It was difficult to miss Davis because of his stature.
Mendenhall, who recruited Davis, said that Lavel was the first to praise the underdogs. He was looking for good and progress for everyone. He would make sure that I or the other coaches were aware of it. He did a great job. He wanted anyone on the team to be noticed.
Davis grew up with his parents in Ridgeville, South Carolina, about 40 miles away from Charleston. His younger sister is a freshman in high school, while his little brother is a fifth- graders. He excelled at a number of sports at the high school. Four of Davis' cousins made the NFL, and he was determined to succeed on the football field.
None of them had a big man.
It was like a work of art when he jumped up to get a football.
Eddie Ford was the one who pushed Davis to be more than a big receiver.
I used to ask him what he was doing for himself since God hadn't given him. Ford spoke. What are you doing to improve? I believe he took that seriously. He didn't want to be a good person because of his height. He wanted to be the best.
His coaches thought Davis was the first one in the door. He was definitely a force on the field. Ford remembers the senior year of Davis. Davis had been double-teamed all night and the game was in the balance. Davis told Ford to throw the ball after the timeout.
Ford said that they were going to double cover him.
Davis said that he was a coach. I don't pay attention. I'm going to make a play on the ball. I would like to throw the ball.
They did. The game-tying touchdown was scored by Davis. In the end, Woodland won.
Despite his athletic ability, in-state schools didn't offer him, even though he was well aware of his talents. Davis signed with Virginia because he loved Mendenhall and the coaching staff.
He started seven games as a freshman and averaged 25.8 yards per catch, good for second in the country. Davis tore his knee in the spring of 2021. He was determined to come back better than before.
His mind was always focused on helping others. He spoke to the team in the spring.
He told the kids that they needed to do things to be successful. He helped the wide receiver and gave them college advice. He was a big fan of the area. He was.
The Groundskeepers were formed in 2020 to push for racial and social justice. Davis explained why it was important in an interview with the sports network.
Davis said that he was a part of the change when he left. "Anything I can do, even if it's a small percentage to bring awareness to all the injustice our school has been through, just to shine a light on it and change it in the right way." Being a part of it is a blessing. Four years are going to go by quickly. I would like to say that I took a step forward.
His work with the group had an impact on that. While at Virginia, Mendenhall established a program called "Thursday's heroes," where the team welcomed in a local resident facing medical challenges to tour the football facilities and meet the team. Jack, a 6-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with a rare cancer when he was 3 and spent a year in treatment at both the University of Virginia and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, was hosted by the team last year.
Two players stood out, according to his grandmother. Davis was one of the two.
Jack dropped the ball more often than not. They continued to keep at it. Lavelloping along like a big animal. Jack was a child who had spent a year in bed. His ability to create joy will be what I remember most.
I went to the art exhibit last week. The chandelier of grief was a series of mirrors. It shows the beauty that can be found during sad times. I know the concept because we lived it. One of our pinpricks of light was Lavel. I will always remember him.
Two sons, Christopher and Jackson, were with Davis and his family. He attended the baseball and basketball games in the spring while Hagans was on the road recruiting. Davis was seen as their big brother.
On the bus ride back from the class trip, Davis sent a text to Lauren to let her know how much he liked it.
It was like he was a part of us. My kids were very fond of Lavel. They were present in his life. The relationship was special. My boys are upset that they won't get to watch them go to high school and go to college. I am not sure how it is possible. I'm still not sure what to think.
He was considered for the comeback player of the year.
Sean Lampkin is a former receiver and current assistant at the college. I told him that while he had a great career at such a young age, he had so much more big moments ahead of him if he just kept giving his all. He worked on the field and in the weight room.
Chayce remembers a moment before the Georgia Tech game when the team practiced. The two were on the same unit and the coach decided to practice punt block.
The play was made when Davis was blocked up. He didn't catch the ball.
"He told me to block the punt, all I have to do is do my job," he said. I was laughing at the idea of it being simple. When we lined up against Georgia Tech, I broke through and got around the shield to block the punt. He predicted it for that week.
People should remember the impact Davis had on those around him. The local police department and the groundskeepers collaborated on an educational video with Davis. Davis was aware that young people would be watching him.
In South Carolina, Woodland will wear a decals on its helmets with the initialsLD and his high school number, 13 during its state playoff game on Friday.
We talked before his graduation about what kind of legacy he wanted to leave at the school. He wanted to leave something that people could look back at and say that Lavel had an impact on this school. The legacy that he left at the University of Virginia, the legacy that he left at the high school and the legacy that he left with his family and friends are all going to last a lifetime.
At his news conference this week, Tony said that D' Sean was the most interesting man on the team.
He was an artist. Sometimes a feeling or emotion would pop into his head and he would sit down with his notepad and begin to draw until a beautiful picture came to him.
He was a good potter. The beginner's pottery class was next to the advanced class. When he wrapped his project early, he would go to the beginner's class and offer tips or start sketching out new designs. He would start cracking jokes and make the class laugh. Hall thinks thatPerry could've been a comedian.
She liked to dance. He started a tradition in high school where the players would gather in the locker room after a team dinner. The first person to be in the circle wasPerry.
"After we'd win games, he'd be the first one to cut the music on and just go crazy getting everyone pumped," said Westley Neal.
The singer was a big fan of music. Former Virginia assistant Kelly Poppinga would invite players to his house for the holidays, and he remembered that Perry quickly built a relationship with Poppinga's four daughters. He would sit at the family's piano and play.
Poppinga said that he didn't know how to play the piano.
One of Poppinga's daughters told him that her father liked to play the piano.
As a member of the Virginia football team, music was at the center of one of the most popular moments of his career. A gift for freestyle rap was given to the singer by her father. On car rides, he'd always sing along with the music on the radio, and a former high school teammate remembers him feigning anger when he got a call from his mom or dad. The soundtrack was not needed to impress. He was able to give a performance for thousands of Virginia fans in the fall of 2019.
The tradition of celebrating with players after the team's final walk-through was developed by Mark Atuaia, who was an assistant coach at Virginia. He dubbed it "Freestyle Friday" and he would rap a few lines as the players cheered. Some Virginia players told Atauia that he should give him a chance as well. On one Friday, with cameras filming the action, Atuaia rapped his introduction then turned the reins over toPerry, who delivered an epic freestyle, while his teammates roared their approval.
Virginia shared the video on social media.
I told them, "Your older brothers had Pres. Ryan, tonight y'all have Coach Atuaia." No one is immune to the transitional woes from HS to college; yet, our #UVA standard doesn't change. We love our new Hoos & they LOVE being here at UVA #FreestyleFriday #GoHoos BELIE⚔️E #1stYears pic.twitter.com/qvrH5I55cu
— Mark Atuaia (@CoachAtuaia) June 28, 2019
Mendenhall said that it was an authentic display of his gratitude to be a part of the team. I was so happy to see that he was the center of attention.
But he wasn't interested in being the center of attention. Making those around him feel important was what he did best.
Ulises has been scrolling through old messages and photos to remember better times with his friend. There's a video that Sarria keeps returning to. He scored his first touchdown at the school. In the video, Sarria is sprinting down the field, about to score, and in the background is his teammate, who is jumping into the air in celebration, just as he crosses the goal line.
"I think that's what D' Sean was described to me," she said. Even if he wasn't successful, he was still happy for everyone.
He remembers his older teammate pulling him aside after the playoffs when he was younger. It was the end of his education. He could have been upset. He put his arm around Hall and said it was his time to shine.
It was like he was saying to pass the torch to someone else.
After they'd last played together, he would still send messages. His social media channels are full of videos of his friends.
"He'll always send a message saying he's proud of me and he saw it in me even when others doubted me," said Neal, now a defensive tackle at Rhode Island.
He was always positive and never had a bad moment. He said he has dozens of videos on his phone in which he was filming nothing in particular, but the camera caught him laughing or smiling, and his joy would be immediately visible.
"He was unstoppable, no matter what he was doing," said Harrison Easton, who was a year ahead of him. No matter what was happening, you could rely on him. He made others feel supported even though he was going through something.
He was a great athlete at the school. He excelled on the defensive line, but coaches decided to use him as a tight end. Easton remembered the first time he threw a ball. They connected on a slant route, and the huge bowling ball of a player, by the way, was easy to miss.
He made defensive backs look stupid after his first catch.
Success was not easy at Virginia. He was stuck on the depth chart and worked with the scout team. He didn't complain. Mendenhall remembered how hard he worked him in practice. Before he left the field, he would find his coach and say thank you.
Earl Sims, Jr. had a simple philosophy for keeping players in shape. He told them to eat healthy and to do 100 push-ups before they go to sleep.
Easton said that not everyone stuck to that. I can definitely tell you that D' Sean did.
The offensive coaches didn't always find him pleasant, even though he was a favorite in the Virginia locker room.
"He was relentless in his approach and treated every day like game day, so many times it would infuriate coaches because he'd be winning in a practice setting against really good players." He wouldn't ever lobby for more time. He would often meet with Poppinga to discuss the depth chart and his future, but he would not relent. He continued to work until he began to contribute on the field.
He made his first career pick-up in 2020. After the game, he was chosen to break the rock, a tradition in which Virginia honored its most important players.
He played in seven games in 2021, mostly on special teams, and had seven tackles. The numbers don't tell the whole story.
Will was a freshman at the time. He followed him to Virginia because he was so inspired by him. During his recruitment, Bettridge would tease him by saying "I know you miss Chicken Kitchen." When Bettridge was on a visit to Virginia, in the middle of a game, he found his old teammate on the sideline and joked, "Where's my chicken kitchen?"
Bettridge missed a few kicks in a game back in the day. He was the first to offer help. The same scene played out again when Bettridge missed a couple of kicks. Bettridge was found on the sideline by his teammates.
"He said, 'We've all got your back, and if no one else does, you know I'll be there for you,'" Bettridge said.
Bettridge said that he was introduced to new friends on campus and made sure to feel at home in Virginia. Special treatment for an old friend wasn't the only thing that happened. For the freshman, it was done byPerry.
Sims said that he was a beautiful soul and compared him to a flower.
He was referred to as a light in the world.
Neal, Bettridge and Hall all said that they were siblings.
Ask any of the people who knew him for a favorite memory and they're not sure. There were a lot of small moments, like a smile or a car trip, that were the result of whatPerry did. He made the in-between moments special by taking them. He didn't need to be the center of attention. He wanted to see people happy.
Taylor said that the man was always happy and telling jokes. That was a soul of a generation.
Sean sent a photo to a number of his son's teammates after he died. In the picture, there is a man wearing a t-shirt with the word "Finish" on it.
"That's the model to finish this journey and keep going," he said. It's time to finish for D' Sean.
Bettridge said it was a fitting tribute to a friend who inspired so many people to go farther than they thought they could.
Bettridge said that he was the hardest worker he knew. I don't think D'Sean finished.
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