Photo by Aria Brent
Tatyana Ross
Editor-in-Chief
Students, family and friends mourned the loss of fellow Tiger, Geronimo Warner, a management major from Phoenix, Ariz., and a member of JSU men’s basketball program from 2019-2022. Warner was a part of the men’s team that won the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season title in 2021.
In a press release from the University, Wayne Brent, former Jackson State head men’s basketball coach, said he was a student with big dreams and they were all falling into fruition.
“Geronimo was a great kid who came to JSU three years ago from Piney Woods High School looking for an opportunity to pursue his dreams of playing basketball on the Division I level,” Brent said. “He always had a great spirit and enjoyed being at JSU. He will truly be missed.”
Also in the press release, Jackson State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson, admits that losing students in such a manner is never easy.
“The loss of students who have been a part of our athletics program is difficult, as we look at our student-athletes as members of our family,” Robinson said. “Geronimo loved the game of basketball and was well-liked among our student-athletes and campus community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Geronimo’s family and friends during this time.”
Alongside Warner’s family, his fellow classmates gathered outside for a candlelight vigil on the CSEL balcony located on the 2nd Floor of the Student Center to collectively mourn on Nov. 10.
The event started with Mister JSU Joshua Edwards opening the floor for words from his family, friends, and other classmates in attendance.
Warner was loved by many people and his family and friends all described him as the light that brightens up the room.
Dru Simmons, Warner’s mother, worked through her grief as she encouraged his friends to keep going forward.
“We are the living. We are the living and we’re here. But we have to understand that Geronimo is going to live with all of us in spirit,” Simmons said. “So whatever dreams y’all had together, whatever goals y’all had together, whatever aspirations y’all had together… at the end of the day he’ll be with you in the living spirit,” said Simmons.
Warner’s oldest sister, Dominique Dorsey, said she misses her baby brother a lot. She said that the two of them were extremely close and the news of it all was heartbreaking. However, she is aware that she is not the only person that was saddened by Warner’s untimely passing.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of his friends. A lot of his teammates and we’ve just been kind of sharing memories of how amazing this man was,” Dorsey said. “And how much impact he made in everybody’s life, even if it was just in passing.”
Dorsey shared that her fondest memory of her brother is his ability to bring people together.
“I think the best thing Geronimo really has done was brought us together and I think that’s my fondest memory right now,” Dorsey said. “It’s knowing that he has opened this door for all of us to be together and to remember him in a way that he should be remembered.”
Dorsey said she is very close with both of her younger brothers so the loss of the baby of the family has been hard to deal with.
“It was never a dynamic of ‘Oh I’m too old to hang out with you.’ We were always together. Loved being in each other’s company,” Dorsey said. “We loved watching television together and just talking about the simplest things, listening to music, even eating together, cooking together.”
She added, “He was just an amazing man, an amazing brother. He was amazing in everything that he did and I’m going to miss him very much.
Tyler Huckleberry, a business marketing major from Indianapolis, Ind., was one of Warner’s closest friends. He said Warner was the second person he met on Jackson State campus.
“The best thing I can say about him is he held you accountable. He was somebody that did not sugarcoat anything,” Huckleberry said. “He’d rather be real with you and tell you exactly how it’s supposed to be than change and have you fall flat on your face.”
He added, “He was somebody that poured life into you even when you didn’t realize he was pouring life into you. He made sure his cup never went empty.”
Any member of the JSU campus community in need of grief support or help with locating counseling resources in your area, should contact the Latasha Norman Center for Counseling Services at 601-979-0374.
