Fort Worth church holds prayer vigil to remember TCU football player's brother, other victims of New Orleans terrorist attack
FORT WORTH – The country and North Texas continue to mourn the victims of a deadly terror attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day. One of the victims is 28-year-old Tiger Bech, whose brother, Jack, is a TCU wide receiver. Tiger Bech was a former wide receiver at Princeton University.
The Fort Worth community gathered for a prayer service Thursday at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church to remember Bech and the other victims of the attack. The congregation prayed for healing for those affected by the terrorist attack in New Orleans, including a local connection in Fort Worth.
The Bech family was top of mind as the church gathered to reflect and find comfort.
"The entire campus is hurting for one of their students, whose brother, Tiger Bech, was just out having fun, and he lost his life," Rev. Kyev Tatum Sr. said.
In neighboring Lafayette, Louisiana, Bech's high school football coach recalled the star athlete and the impact he made on his team.
"I don't think there's ever been anybody like Tiger. I don't think there's ever going to be anybody like him because between the athlete and the depth of character and just the way he held himself, he was a special guy," Marty Cannon said.
Bech's loss, and the loss of 13 others, is felt in the DFW metroplex and across the nation.
"My little brothers are trying to do things and influence people and be leaders in the community, and this could have easily been my little brother," church member Natiece Ford said.
The Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas, Clergy for Safe Cities Fort Worth, and church members joined in prayer, hand in hand, unified in their effort to make a difference.
"We're going to have to build bridges and not walls, not barriers. We can no longer keep putting these barriers up and expect to be able to handle these situations because people react out of hate, or they act out of love," Tatum said.
The pastor hopes to have safety training with the FBI and ATF at the church in the future to ensure it's prepared for any safety situations.
