Badawi's photo via Instagram @k.badaw1 Bech's photo via Princeton Athletic
One of the victims of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack was Lafayette native and former St. Thomas More football star Tiger Bech. The 2015 graduate of STM also played lacrosse and was on the track and field team. He went on to play football at Princeton and was working in New York City. STM Principal Marty Cannon coached Bech.
“You realize that not only was he an outstanding athlete but there was this tremendous depth about him, and he was really, really smart, very intuitive, asked deep questions. He was just something really special.”
Bech was 28-years-old. His younger brother played at LSU for two seasons and will play in the NFL next season after having a big year at TCU in 2024. Cannon said Bech visited STM frequently and felt blessed to have seen him over the holidays.
“Typical Tiger, wanted to know how the school was doing , how is STM, how am I enjoying my job, how are things going, how’s the family. It was just really good, rich, meaningful conversation, and it was so good to see him.”
Baton Rouge native Kareem Badawi was another victim of the attack. The recent Episcopal graduate was a freshman at the University of Alabama. Episcopal Head Football Coach Travis Bourgeois coached Badawi all four years.
“He never was a guy that wanted conflict. Even though his size, you know six-four, good looking football player, when the lights were off he just became a different guy, mild, mild tempered, friendly- just a guy you want to be around, man, for good things and good times.”
Bourgeois said he watched Badawi grow up and become a man. He said he was a man of integrity on and off the football field…
“He’s one of them guys that was in the right place at the right time and doing the right thing, and if you turned your back you knew that it was gonna be okay because he was going to be doing the right thing.”
Episcopal will hold a prayer service at the Lewis Family Memorial Chapel tonight at 6:00 for Badawi and fellow alumni Parker Vidrine who was critically injured in the attack.
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