Friday, Nov. 26, 2021 | 4:43 p.m.
A vigil will be held Saturday for a UNLV student who died this week following injuries sustained during a charity boxing match.
Nathan Tyler Valencia collapsed after participating in the Kappa Sigma fraternity’s “Fight Night” as a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, was taken from a nearby hospital and died Tuesday. He was 20.
“It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness I share that a member of the UNLV family is no longer with us,” UNLV President Keith Whitfield said in a letter to students, adding the university is seeking resources to review the incident. “We are shocked and heartbroken as we mourn the loss of one of our own.
“… Our deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends, and loved ones. I am sure words cannot describe their feeling of grief and emptiness. They are in our thought during this very difficult time. The Rebel community shares their loss.”
Lacey Foster, who organized a GoFundMe to raise money to cover funeral costs and medical expenses, said Valencia “had a smile that lit up every room he walked into.”
“The love we shared was like no other. Nathan was the kind of person who put others before himself,” Foster wrote on the fundraiser, which has raised nearly $40,000 as of Friday afternoon. “Nathan was taken away from us too soon, but I know we have gained the best guardian angel.”
The vigil will be 7 p.m. Saturday at the UNLV Alumni Amphitheatre. Those attending will be able to “share some of our favorite memories & stories,” of Valencia.
