High school senior dies on commencement day
MELISSA SANTOS AND KRIS SHERMAN; The News Tribune
A 17-year-old Mount Tahoma High School senior died only hours before he was to attend his graduation ceremony Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome. His 289 classmates marked Tyler Howes’ passing by walking across the stage to receive their diplomas with his picture attached to their robes.
Howes, a popular student and gifted athlete, suffered a sudden illness and spent five days in the hospital before dying late Wednesday morning.
Howes was captain of the school’s baseball team and a varsity wrestler who advanced to the 4A regional tournament in the 285-pound weight class though he weighed only 210 pounds. His sister Whittney, who graduated from Mount Tahoma in 2006, took his place at Wednesday’s ceremonies.
The cause and source of Howes’ illness were not immediately determined, said Dr. David Harrowe, an epidemiologist with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
But he said he didn’t believe parents or students at Mount Tahoma have cause for worry.
About 70 students came to visit Howes at St. Joseph Medical Center during the weekend even though they were not allowed into his room, said student body president Tammy Phan, who became friends with Howes during their freshman year.
Most of them waited on the floor below him and prayed, Phan said.
The large gathering of teenagers was so unusual that nurse managers on the intensive care unit noticed it, hospital spokesman Gale Robinette said.
That there would be such an outpouring from students busy with graduation plans and end-of-year school activities speaks to Howes’ popularity and the care he took in forging friendships, said family friend Mark Kramer.
“I don’t know if I ever saw him upset,” said Kramer, who’d known Howes since he was a soccer-playing 6-year-old. “He was always happy. Always upbeat. Always looking for the good in people and in situations. I don’t know if I ever saw him with a frown on his face.”
Phan said she remembered her friend for his thoughtfulness as well as his goofy side.
“I have pictures of him just sitting on the couch and karaoke-ing at my house,” she said. “He would look up songs that had the names of friends of ours in them and go and serenade them. He had a really good sense of humor, because Tyler really couldn’t sing.”
Junior Richard Diaz, Howes’ friend and baseball teammate, shaved “Ty” and “12” into the sides of his hair in honor of Howes, who wore number 12 as the team’s catcher. He and Howes gave themselves Mohawk haircuts together last May.
“We were going to both shave baseballs on our heads, but it never happened,” Diaz said.
At Wednesday’s graduation ceremony, Mount Tahoma Principal Greg Eisnaugle honored Howes with a speech that earned a standing ovation.
Howes’ death on his graduation day increases the poignancy of what always is a day of reflection for students, Eisnaugle said.
“Teenagers often think they can live forever,” he said. “This shows them that they are not infallible. I think this is a time when they are going to look inside and decide to seek a life of fulfillment, because they have a chance to do that.”
Though the school provided counseling for students throughout the day, most of them turned to each other to work through their grief, Eisnaugle said.
“This is a really hard graduation because we have to balance the excitement we have with the loss we feel of a really great student,” he said. “There’s lots of kids supporting one another, and that’s probably the best way for them to do it.”
Mount Tahoma wrestling coach Randell Holberg said Howes was a first-year wrestler who started out on the junior varsity, but rose through the ranks and exceeded expectations by advancing to regionals.
“Not only was he very coachable, but I enjoyed having him out there,” Holberg said. “Once we got into matches, he was very serious and wanted everybody else to take it seriously. But at the same time he knew when to mess around and when it was time to have fun.”
Beyond his athletic prowess, Howes should be remembered for his artistic talent and consideration for others, said graphic design teacher Lisa-Marie McDonald.
“He was known as an athlete, but I saw him as a potential civic leader. I called him a shining star,” McDonald said.
Howes hadn’t settled on postgraduation plans, but he knew he wanted to help people, Kramer said.
Howes’ mom, Lori, told Kramer that her son took a mission trip to Costa Rica last summer that showed him how much his work could affect the lives of others.
The family, which also includes father Mike, has not yet named a date for a memorial service.
Kramer, who is also a pastor, gave this advice to the Class of 2007, adding that it could apply to anyone:
“Hold on to each other. Hold on to the love that you have for one another and make sure that your goodbyes are the best that you can make. Your paths will diverge, and your paths might not cross again. So make the goodbyes count. Make them serious. Make them last.”
