Dear Temple Students and Colleagues, 

It is with deep sadness that we write to share news of the death of first-year student Tyler Sabapathy. Over the weekend, Tyler sustained critical injuries and ultimately passed away this afternoon. 

The loss of a promising 18-year-old man like Tyler is both tragic and traumatic. There are no words that can make sense of it, and the entire Temple community mourns his passing. Our hearts go out to Tyler’s family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved him. 

A native of Toronto, Canada, Tyler was already a thriving student within Temple University’s College of Public Health, where he was majoring in exercise and sport science. As an accomplished gymnast with more than 120 medals in provincial, regional and international competitions, Tyler was fascinated with injury prevention, and this ultimately led him to pursue the major that he did. He no doubt had a bright future ahead of him, and it is so tragic that we will not be able to see how he would have made his mark on the world.

As a member of the university’s club gymnastics team, Tyler displayed exceptional self-discipline and work ethic, spending countless hours a week training and honing his craft. He was loved by his teammates, friends and coaches here in Philadelphia. 

Temple University is committed to supporting our community during this time of unspeakable loss. We encourage students to seek available support services at Tuttleman Counseling Services, located at 1700 N. Broad St., which offers a range of resources. For more information on services and hours of operation, call 215-204-7276 or visit the Tuttleman Counseling Services website.  

For faculty and staff members, our employee assistance program offers support and resources 24/7 online or by calling 1-888-267-8126. Employees and students can also contact Temple’s Psychological Services Center at psc@temple.edu, or 215-204-7100. 

Once again, we extend our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies to those closest to Tyler, especially his parents and siblings. He will be deeply missed. 

Sincerely,  

John Fry  
President 

Jodi Bailey 
Vice President for Student Affairs