The spring 2024 semester was unexpectedly sad for many members of the University of Georgia community after several tragic, unrelated student deaths occurred in just a few weeks. Six months later, the families, friends and communities of Birkley Heynen, Wyatt Banks and Laken Riley are working to ensure the legacy of their beloved bulldogs continues.

Birkley Heynen

“Doer,” “incredibly intelligent,” “energetic,” “friendly,” and “larger than life” are words friends and family often use to describe Birkley Heynen.

Heynen, who died March 4, was vocal about his desire to help the environment – now his loved ones are making sure his legacy continues.

The Birkley Heynen Environmental Foundation, founded by his parents, was created to help issues close to Heynen’s heart. You can donate at the Athens Area Community Foundation website.

“We wanted to find a way for him to continue to have an impact on people’s lives,” said Nik Heynen, his father.

The foundation is currently focused on fundraising, but Nik Heynen said he sees it working on various environmental projects in the future. He mentioned that his son is passionate about coastal and marine sciences, so they will highlight the topics in those settings.

“We want people to think about these issues and think about Birk and what he stood for, what he might do if he were still around,” Nik Heynen said.

The foundation’s first grant went to Shell to Shore, an oyster shell recycling program that Birkley Heynen completed in the first cohort in the spring 2022 semester. Nik Heynen said the internship made his son realize he wanted to go to graduate school.

“We just wanted to honor that impact on him and hope that we can help other people have similar impacts and experiences and somehow deal with some environmental issues,” Nik Heynen said.

Shell to Shore program coordinator Malcolm Provost said Birkley Heynen had made a “tremendous splash” in the organization through his leadership skills and his way of bringing people together.

“Birkley was a truly amazing human being … whatever he did, his spirit really came through,” Provost said.

While working at Shell to Shore, Birkley Heynen met Mary Margaret Cozart, a fellow intern. Cozart said that they felt a real connection because of his spirit and that no matter who you were, he was able to take you out of your comfort zone and make you laugh.

“He just had such a magnetic way of connecting people,” Cozart said.

Cozart said the foundation is a great way to honor Birkley Heynen and his legacy, and that his passion for the environment goes beyond what most people would have thought of.

“He has already brought together so many people in different places who will continue to cherish his memories and honor him through his passions,” Cozart said. “I think whether it’s people coming together to volunteer through organizations like UGArden or Shell to Shore, or having the opportunity to donate to the foundation, it’s going to have a significant impact environment.”

Wyatt Banks

Wyatt Banks, a freshman in Morehead Honors College majoring in political science and economics, died Feb. 21. He was a member of the UGA chapter of Kappa Sigma and was elected recruiting chair for the department this school year.

In his memory, the chapter started a GoFundMe that raised over $100,000. The money went to a foundation that Wyatt Banks’ father Sean Banks has since set up. According to his father, the fraternity plans an annual fundraiser to commemorate Wyatt Banks’ legacy and further raise awareness for suicide prevention.

The Wyatt Sean Banks Foundation, Inc. is now accepting donations, which can be sent via Venmo to @wyattseanbanksfoundation or by mail to 4628 Stella Drive, Sandy Springs, Georgia, 30327.

Sean Banks said the foundation is close to making its first grant and is in the process of determining where the money will go.

“No firm decisions have been made yet about where the money will go,” Sean Banks said. “(The foundation is) really just about honoring his legacy and reminding people what kind of person he was and supporting the causes that he was passionate about.”

Sean Banks spoke about his son’s love of travel and community service, as well as his friendly, helpful personality.

“He seemed very well-adjusted and respected in all aspects of his life, whether it was in the classroom, in the fraternity, with his friends from high school and his new friends in college,” Sean Banks said.

Sheet Riley

Laken Riley was an active member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at UGA and a nursing student at the Athens campus of the Augusta University College of Nursing. Her death, less than 24 hours after Banks’s, shocked the UGA and Athens communities.

According to her obituary, Riley’s passion for caring for others began with working as a nanny in addition to her work as a nurse.

“Laken was a great daughter, sister, friend and a great person in general. “Her love for the Lord was evident in every aspect of her life,” the obituary said.

Riley was murdered on campus while using a popular running trail near the intermural fields. Her death sparked a significant discussion about violence against women. After her death, several women-only running groups were formed to create a space where women could train without fearing for their safety.

In memory of Riley, Cherokee Recreation and Parks will host a Live Like Laken 5K Run/Walk on October 26th at Hobgood Park in Woodstock, Georgia. The event in her honor is expected to become an annual tradition.

Riley’s alma mater, River Ridge High School, also held a “22 for 22” run and walk that spanned 22 laps around the high school track to commemorate the anniversary of Riley’s death on May 17 to raise funds for Laken Hope Riley Foundation to collect. This raises money for murder investigations and women’s safety. To date, the memorial has raised over $260,000.

With the presidential election approaching, the nature of Riley’s death has been brought up often in political discussions. Discussions arose about immigration policies in Georgia and the United States because Riley’s alleged killer is an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant. At the time of his arrest, he had already been arrested for other non-violent crimes. Precision AutoTune, located at the corner of Alps and West Broad, has a poster outside its store that reads, “Think of Laken Riley when you vote; Please vote.”

Gone, but not forgotten

Birkley Heynen, Wyatt Banks, and Laken Riley lived and died in their own, unconnected ways. But they still have one thing in common: They love people who ensure that their kindness and memories continue to have a positive impact on the world.