BYU officials confirm death of student who fell in Tanner Building
Adam Meadows, a freshman at Brigham Young University, places a sticky note in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.Tanner Building at BYU
Brigham Young University students walk through the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
Autumn Hawkins, a freshman at Brigham Young University, reads the sticky notes that were posted in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
A Brigham Young University Student examines a rose in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo. The flowers were something students could reach out to their friends to show that they care about them.
A Brigham Young University student reads over the posted sticky notes at the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
Liz Dixon, an adjunct faculty member in the department of management at Brigham Young University, takes a photo of the sticky notes posted in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
Autumn Hawkins, a freshman at Brigham Young University, reads the sticky notes that were posted in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
Brigham Young University students fill out sticky notes in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
Brigham Young University students fill out sticky notes in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
A Brigham Young University student reads the posted sticky notes in the Tanner Building on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo.
Sticky notes cover the glass wall in the Tanner Building at Brigham Young University on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Provo. The notes have messages about what students are grateful for, what are things students love about life, or something positive that students want to tell the world.
A Brigham Young University student who fell inside a campus building on Monday has died, according to university officials.
The 19-year-old woman fell from the 4th floor of the N. Eldon Tanner Building around 9 a.m. on Monday, said Lt. Steve Messick with the BYU University Police.
She was transported to Utah Valley Hospital with critical injuries.
Counselors are available on-campus all day for students at the Counseling & Psychological Services in 1500 Wilkinson Student Center. Faculty members were asked to be sensitive about the incident.
Many students were inside the building and in class at the time of the incident, said Carri Jenkins, university spokesperson. All classes in the Tanner Building were canceled and the building closed for the rest of the day.
Police concluded their investigation into the incident Monday evening and confirmed the fall was an attempted suicide.
The next morning, BYU students had organized a “Share Love” event at the Tanner Building and wrote sticky notes expressing love and offering comfort.
During a devotional on Tuesday, university President Kevin Worthen fought back tears and expressed his personal sympathy and prayers to those affected by the incident.
“Such events try our hearts and stretch our souls. They should also cause us to be more aware of, and more caring for, the well-being of every individual in our community,” he said.
The glass railings surrounding the atrium on the Tanner Building’s third and fourth floors were blocked off Wednesday afternoon. Security guards stood watch in the area as students studied feet away.
On the main floor, hundreds of sticky notes covered the glass walls and students handed out flowers with notes stating “you are loved.” The sticky notes were covered in messages with things students are grateful for, things they love about life or things they wanted to tell the world.
The flowers were provided by anonymous donors and handed out by student volunteers.
“I think this is really helpful to bring a good atmosphere,” said Jarom Hickenlooper, a freshman at BYU who handed out flowers Wednesday.
Hickenlooper said he wanted students to focus on hope and gratitude.
Joe Evans, a junior studying accounting, was in a class inside the Tanner Building when the student fell Monday. He left the building as soon as he could afterward. Wednesday, he was back to hand out flowers.
“Frankly, I was really nervous to go back into the building where it happened,” Evans said.
He said handing out the flowers and encouraging people to write hopeful messages helped to return safety to the space.
“It’s been really healing for me,” he said.
He said he was grateful for the thoughts and prayers people have directed at the BYU community following the incident.
Students will continue passing out flowers from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday.
Jenkins said counselors were immediately available to students after the incident.
“We will not be turning anyone away. We are encouraging our students if they feel like they need to talk with someone, if they feel like they need help to please go to the counseling center,” she added.
University officials encouraged students to contact counselors or walk-in and receive crisis consultation during regular business hours.
“We’re saddened by the tragic incident that occurred in the Tanner Building on campus today. We are aware that several students witnessed the incident, and that there are many others who have been impacted in different ways,” the counseling center posted on their website. “Crisis walk-in appointments are available at CAPS to help any who may be experiencing distress related to what they have seen or heard.”
Students can also receive help after hours by calling the campus police at (801) 422-2222 and asking to speak with an on-call counselor.
Help is also available through the Utah County Crisis Line at (801) 691-5433 and through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
The Crisis Text Line is also free to use if talking on the phone is an issue. Text HOME to 741741 or download the SafeUT app, a crisis chat line for Utah.
No matter what problems you’re dealing with, whether or not you’re thinking about suicide, if you need someone to lean on for emotional support, call a lifeline.
People call to talk about lots of things: substance abuse, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, getting over abuse, depression, mental and physical illness, and loneliness, to name a few.
Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.
24-Hour Crisis Hotlines
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
(Ayuda En Español 1-888-628-9454)
(Deaf/Hard of Hearing 1-800-799-4889)
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens
1-866-488-7386
Text START to 678678
Utah County Crisis Line
801-691-5433
Wasatch Mental Health Crisis Line
801-373-7393
