As New Orleans was trying to prepare for the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day, a madman (identified as Shamshud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a Texas native) drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street out of nowhere. The senseless, barbaric act of violence claimed the lives of 15 people and injured many more. Among the victims was a college athlete, a Lafayette native, and an STM football player, who suffered internal bleeding. The 28-year-old was taken to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. Now, the family of the player has come out, detailing how, in those final moments of his life before he was hit in the tragic attack, he saved a girl’s life. Truly an inspirational story.

Tiger Bech played football for St. Thomas More Catholic High School. In the words of one of his coaches, Marty Cannon, “Tiger could do things that were just unexplainable for that body type and that short stature.” 

Following Thomas More, Tiger joined Princeton University and played football for three more years before finally finishing his graduation in 2021 with a finance degree. A world traveler who loved visiting ancient sites, such as the pyramids, Tiger lived a life best described by his obituary: “He crammed 80 years of living into 27.” 

Steve Colgate, another coach who took Tiger under his wings, said that he was “always willing to do whatever was needed to help the team.” On New Year’s Day, as Tiger was celebrating the arrival of 2025 with his best friend Ryan Quigley, he saw an opportunity to help another human, even though it meant that his life would be on the line. New information revealed that Tiger saved a girl’s life from the truck driver.

Jack Bech, Tiger’s brother and a TCU player, shared a message he received about the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) having surveillance footage of Tiger’s heroic act. The message reads, “FBI just called they said they have video surveillance of the girls that we were talking with, Tiger pushing the girl out of the way to save her life. He’s true American hero. Chills.”

Jack shared the message on his Insta story with the caption, “My brother is a true hero. Can’t express the love I have for him. He’s an angel.” Just imagine the sheer bravery it must have taken to think of someone else when your own life was in danger. No wonder everyone who knew Tiger talked about how he lived his life. Be it on the football field or in those moments, Tiger’s story, as his brother said, represents a true American hero.

He “lived life to the fullest”: Tiger Bech’s mother

Losing your son is perhaps the biggest tragedy for a parent. Especially when that loss happened due to a brutal, mad act by a bigoted mind. Tiger Bech’s funeral was held in Lafayette, Louisiana, on January 7. He was laid to rest at St. John’s Cemetery in downtown Lafayette.

Talking about the tragedy, Michelle Bech described her son as “a shooting star in life.” “He was so bright. He lived bigger than life. He was a brilliant boy, he was an incredible athlete, and he had a huge heart. His friends came from every walk of life,” she said.

Michelle also mentioned how Tiger lived life to the fullest. Well, he really got the opportunity to check items off his bucket list. “He had traveled to Ibiza, he had run with the bulls in Pamplona this summer. He had traveled to Morocco and seen the pyramids of Egypt. So, by all accounts, had really lived his greatest and best life,” she said.

Even in her loss, Michelle Bech provided clarity to the people who are trying to make sense of everything that happened in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day in New Orleans. “I think Tiger would want to say that he wouldn’t want people to have hatred in their heart,” she said.