Tiger Bech, a former Princeton football standout and a rising star in the financial world, was among 15 people killed in a horrific truck attack on Bourbon Street early New Year’s Day.
The 27-year-old succumbed to his injuries hours after the driver of a white pickup truck plowed through holiday revelers, leaving chaos and devastation in his wake.
Bech, who earned All-Ivy League honors as a kick returner during his tenure with the Princeton Tigers, was remembered by his former coach Bob Surace as a fierce competitor with an unmatched spirit.
“He was full of energy, full of life,” Surace told ESPN. “In key moments, he always excelled. He truly embodied the Tiger nickname.”
After graduating from Princeton in 2021, Bech embarked on a promising career as an investment trader at Seaport Global.
His company described him as “extremely well-regarded by everyone who knew him.” Bech’s younger brother, Jack, a top wide receiver at Texas Christian University, shared a heartfelt tribute on social media: “Love you always, brother! You inspired me every day. Now you’ll be with me in every moment. This is for us.”
The New Orleans truck attack, which officials have called an act of terror, also claimed the lives of an 18-year-old aspiring nurse, a single mother, and a father of two, while leaving over 30 others injured.
Families of the victims are sharing their grief as investigators work to piece together the events leading to the tragedy.
Among those lost was Nicole Perez, a single mother devoted to her 4-year-old son, Melo. Recently promoted to manager at a deli in Metairie, Perez had dreams of creating a better life for her family. “She was a really good mom,” said her employer, Kimberly Usher, who started a GoFundMe to support Melo’s future.
Reggie Hunter, a 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, was another victim. Hunter, a former high school athlete, had just finished work and was celebrating with family when his life was cut short.
For Zion Parsons, 18, it was his first New Year’s Eve on Bourbon Street. He watched in horror as his friend, Nikyra Dedeaux, was struck by the truck and thrown into the air. Dedeaux, also 18, had been preparing to start college and pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. “She had her plan laid down,” Parsons said. “She was the one who took care of everyone.”