Monday afternoon Dan Tyree, Superintendent of the Plymouth Community School Corporation gave a brief statement to the media on the death of David Bacon III a junior at the high school. He said, “We are dealing with the tragic loss of one of our students who took his own life (last-Sunday) night, David Bacon, a junior, a fine student and a member of our varsity football team.”
Tyree said the staff and students are having a very difficult time today and counselors from the Bowen Center, Ministerial Association and the school’s counselors are working with students on grief. Memory walls have been created to allow students and staff the opportunity to write messages to David and his family what will be delivered to the family at the end of the week.
Hundreds of students, teachers, coaches and parents gathered in the high school gymnasium Sunday night to pray and grieve together with counselors. During that event the corporation created a “watch list” of students who were very close to David and those that seemed to be taking his death very hard. Tyree said one of the school’s concerns now is “how to prevent this from being something that could be repeated in a month.” He said, “We are working very closely with the Bowen Center to discern the things that we should do to help make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
The superintendent said this is the only suicide he has experienced in the Plymouth Schools since he came to the corporation in 1979.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. Tyree said some events may be cancelled or postponed once that information is released. He also said the students with parental consent will be allowed to miss class and attend the services.
