At the beginning of this school year, a bench was dedicated to Jaylen Fitzpatrick to honor the student who was a member of the class of 2026 but tragically passed away in a vehicular accident on July 13, 2024.
“The bench came to be because Jaylen’s dad and I wanted something at the school to remember him by, and his dad thought a bench with his pictures would be a good idea. We asked to have it placed near the gym since he loves basketball,” Ms. Snipes, Jaylen’s mother said.
The location of the bench is alongside the sidewalk to the entrance of the school near the nurse’s office. The bench is meant to symbolize not only Jaylen’s life, but also stand as a permanent reminder of who he was; quiet and reserved, yet impactful.
“When I first met Jaylen, I thought he seemed quiet and thought that he might prefer to be alone. He was always listening to music and rarely spoke to others, but he was respectful and kind to his teachers,” said Mrs.Akrong, Jaylen’s ninthgrade literature & reading teacher.
As the school year progressed, Jaylen and Mrs.Akrong’s relationship grew, and they formed a close teacher-student relationship.
“After talking with him about music and taking the time to allow him to open up, I found that he was a very complex and deep person. He also loved to laugh; he was so light-hearted. I enjoyed that the most about him,” said Mrs.Akrong. This light-hearted yet quiet, complex personality stood for those who knew Jaylen personally.
“I would say he was like an energetic person; I really loved his energy. He was a loyal person and wouldn’t do anything wrong. My favorite memory with Jaylen, I would say, is elementary school, when we had all of those classes together,” Chay McKoy said, a close friend from Jaylen’s childhood.
Papa Ndome, a senior student at MHS, was also very close with Jaylen. He considered him a close friend and shared many memorable moments together. They also learned many lessons from each other.
“Something Jaylen taught me was to never forget life is too short to hold grudges, and hold things on your heart,” Ndome said
Jaylen was a member of the class of 2026, making this year his senior year. He was described as a great individual, truly embodying the “Be Somebody” motto.
“There are so many things my ‘Shug’ has taught me. Patience for one, unconditional love for someone, so many basketball stats, how to work hard and go after what you want, not to take things so seriously and to laugh a little,” Ms.Snipes said.
His memory will live on and be a reminder to students and staff – Once a Blue Devil, Always a Blue Devil.
