Trae Magaña said his best friend Solomon Sanchez was the life of the party.
When Magaña was going through personal struggles, Sanchez checked on him.
On Feb. 3, during one of their check-ins, they hugged, something Magaña said didn’t happen often. Later that day, Sanchez, a sociology student with goals of becoming a professor, died as a result of a car accident. He was 21.
His memorial service in February filled 200 seats, leaving many others standing in the aisle.
On April 11, Magaña sat among Sanchez’s loved ones in Texas Hall. The memorial wasn’t specifically for Sanchez. A Fallen Maverick, a new initive from UTA, honored him among 51 Mavericks.
The initiative, led by Student Affairs, ensured that no one would be forgotten, that their names would be spoken and their stories would be remembered. The service honors those who died while working or earning their degree.
“The individuals we honor tonight were more than just names on a list,” Mr. UTA Florencio Gobellan said. “They were our classmates, our professors, our mentors and our friends.”
Allan Saxe, retired political science professor, was among the faculty members honored. He died June 17, 2024, at 85 years old. Known for his philanthropy and outward thinking, Saxe left behind five decades at UTA.
“We believe that every Maverick who walks this campus leaves a mark, and those whose lives were cut short deserve to be remembered, honored and lifted up,” said Lowell Davis, vice president of Student Affairs.
While the fallen Mavericks roll call was read aloud, the community lit their candles and sat in a moment of silence.
As the song “A Thousand Years” played during the tribute, Sanchez’s sister Daquirie Thanphirom couldn’t help but laugh and cry. She thought of her brother, who “was a huge Twilight fan.”
Sanchez was on his way to Thanphirom’s house after having a full day of classes and playing basketball with his friends when he was hit. Thanphirom drives past the crash site at least three to four times a day, where a cross now rests for her brother.
“When I drive past the cross, I always hear his voice, ‘You’re gonna have a good day. You’re gonna do it today. Nothing’s gonna get in your way,’” Thanphirom said. “And I always say, ‘I love you’ every time I cross it.”
Families, friends, faculty and staff members filled Texas Hall to remember those who have died.
UTA President Jennifer Cowley said every fallen Maverick helped make UTA more than a university. They made it a community where belonging and respect flourish.
“UTA is a community built upon resilience, strength and shared purpose, and that’s why we have come together to remember, to pay respects and to commemorate the lives of those who have shaped the university into the institution that it is today,” Cowley said.
A week before Sanchez died, Thanphirom said her brother was invited to a faculty meeting by one of his sociology professors, someone who saw great potential in him.
“UTA is special to us because I’m an alum, my husband’s an alum and most of his friends attend here,” she said. “It’s really sad that I’m here for a program for him because he’s a fallen Maverick and not going to be an alum Maverick.”
@amandaLaldridge
