Everyone has a story. There just needs to be people in this world willing to listen. Every story matters.

TYLER TRENT
September 7, 1998 — January 1, 2019

The first time I met Tyler Trent (as T’18), I scheduled a half-hour interview. We ended up talking for almost three hours. Tyler had a way about him that’s hard to explain. He was incredibly captivating. I was struck by his poise, impressed with his eloquence, comforted by the calming demeanor he exuded. Being with Tyler felt like sitting in the presence of greatness. The best word I can think to describe him is mystical. I know how silly that sounds. 

I was also struck by how openly he shared his vulnerability. He talked about his struggles with suicidal thoughts, about the burden of being an inspiration to others, about how he had dark days and didn’t always feel strong or brave. This second time facing cancer, he told me, he was thankful for another opportunity to share his story. He felt he hadn’t done enough to raise awareness that first time around. Thankful when rediagnosed with cancer. Imagine that. 

When I interviewed Tyler in January 2018, he was cautiously hopeful. In his final rounds of chemo, he’d begun working out with friends at the CoRec. His hair had started to grow back. He hinted at the possibility of a girlfriend. He was looking for a summer internship in sports journalism. A scant six weeks later, his cancer was back for a third time. 

It was a joy to witness Tyler live out his dream as a sports journalist during his final months. He was showered with accolades and opportunities as he humbly insisted he was undeserving. All the while, those of us watching at home with tears in our eyes knew he deserved so much more.

Tyler wanted to make an impact. He wanted to use his story as a platform to build awareness and raise money to find a cure for cancer. But he was mindful of the fact that his was just one story. And that every story mattered. That’s why he wore a “Ben Strong” shirt when he took the field as honorary captain of the August 30 Hammer Down Cancer game. Ben Harmon’s story echoed Tyler’s. Ben was in remission from Ewing’s sarcoma when he enrolled at Purdue in fall 2017, the same year as Tyler. He became the president of his Sigma Chi fraternity pledge class. His fraternity brothers describe him as a dedicated leader and fun-loving prankster. He was forced to withdraw prior to the start of his second semester to undergo chemotherapy when he was rediagnosed with cancer. Ben died July 8, 2018. 

Ben and Tyler will both be honored at the annual Golden Taps ceremony in April, along with seven other students who died in the past year: Erin Davis, Tavon Fields, Matthew Klenosky, Jessica Marrs, Lucas Shanker, Tyler Stephan, and Dominic Vargas. 

Each of them had a story, too. In an August 28 column for Gold and Black Illustrated, Tyler wrote, “Cancer, depression, mental illness, etc. is more than any one of us. That is why we should take time out of our day to listen to the struggles of others. That is why we should dedicate our time donating toward research.”

Tyler wanted to make an impact. And he did. His legacy lives on in the Tyler Trent Cancer Research Endowment that will fund cancer research at the Purdue Center for Cancer Research and the Tyler Trent Courage and Resilience Award, a scholarship for undergraduate students who have encountered adversity in their pursuit of higher education. Tyler’s story will live on in Purdue lore forever. For generations to come, Boilermakers will remember the upset against Ohio State and how Tyler predicted it all along, how Tyler never lost faith, how Tyler never, ever gave up. 

But I hope we also remember how Tyler challenged us. In a December 5 column for the Indianapolis Star, Tyler wrote about how, facing his final days in hospice with his health declining, he chose to make each day the best it could be. To make the most of whomever came to visit, text, tweet, or call him. To listen to their stories. Tyler chose to be grateful. 

The Golden Taps ceremony is held every April in Academy Park next to the Unfinished Block P. Dedicated in 2008, the sculpture is meant to serve as a reminder that even after graduation from Purdue, the educational experience is never complete. But for those students honored at Golden Taps, their stories remain forever unfinished. It’s left to us to carry on in their names and in their memories. 

Tyler reminded us that every day is a gift and that despite our circumstances, we can be grateful. If we truly want to carry on Tyler’s legacy, we can choose gratitude. For Tyler. For Ben. For Erin, Tavon, Matthew, Jessica, Lucas, Tyler, and Dominic. We must be grateful for every day.