The BYU student who was critically injured in a fall inside the Tanner Building on Monday died from her injuries on Tuesday.
The university, which identified the fall as a suicide attempt on Monday, confirmed Wednesday morning the student had died. The university has been emphasizing the availability of campus counseling services and said Wednesday more information about campus counseling would be announced during the day.
The incident happened about 9 a.m. Monday while the Tanner Building was already busy with student traffic and classes. There were a number of eyewitnesses and others who heard the fall. By Tuesday morning, students had organized an event in the Tanner Building to encourage students to “Share Love” and offer comfort after the tragedy.
University President Kevin J Worthen expressed his personal sympathy at the campus devotional on Tuesday to all those impacted by the incident and said “such events try our hearts and stretch our souls, and they should also cause us to be more aware of and more caring for the well-being of every individual in our community.”
Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was the featured speaker at the devotional. “I’ve thought about you and the student involved in the incident yesterday without ceasing since I’ve learned of this episode,” he said.
Fundraising efforts for the student’s family are also developing on sites like GoFundMe. The campus administration’s emphasis continues to focus on the impact on the rest of the campus community and the availability of counseling resources.
“There’s been some very positive things said on social media about reaching out to one another and listening to one another,” BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said Monday afternoon. “If you have a friend who needs someone to talk to, certainly, this is the time to lend a listening ear. And if you yourself are feeling like you need help or need someone to talk to, we encourage our students to go to the Wilkinson Student Center.”
Counseling resources are available on campus for students. BYU Counseling and Psychological Services (1500 WSC) offers walk-in services to students until 4:15 p.m. each day. After hours, BYU Counseling has a staff member on-call that can be reached by calling University Police at 801-422-2222.
Editor’s note: The Daily Universe strives to follow the ethical guidelines outlined by the Society of Professional Journalists, which includes only reporting on suicides or attempted suicides when the incident involves a public person or takes place in a public place. Our staff sends its condolences to the student’s family and friends, witnesses, fellow students, first responders, professors, mentors and university officials working to deal with an event that touches the entire BYU community.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, there is hope and help available. The National Suicide Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255. You can also text the Crisis Text Line by texting HELLO to 741741. It is free, available 24/7 and confidential.
