Former Princeton football star Martin “Tiger” Bech was killed in the New Orleans attack on Jan. 1, his brother Jack Bech confirmed on social media.
“Love you always brother,” Jack shared in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) hours after the attack. “You inspired me (every day) now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us.”
Tiger’s death was also confirmed by his mother Michelle Bech to ABC News. She told the outlet that her son lived life to the fullest and was “on top of the world.”
She said Tiger had been in Louisiana for a weekend of hunting and fishing with college friends from Princeton and had been scheduled to fly back to New York City on the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 1. before the attack took place.
Tiger played for the Princeton Tigers before going on to establish a career in finance.
Princeton Tigers
Tiger, 28, was an All-Ivy League performer, spending three seasons at Princeton from 2016-18. On graduation, he worked as a trader at Seaport Global, an N.Y.C. capital markets firm, per a statement from his mother Michelle to ABC News. Meanwhile, Jack, 22, emerged as one of the best receivers in the country in 2024 playing for the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs.
Prior to Princeton, Tiger played football at St Thomas Moore High School in Lafayette, LA. The school held a service to honor his life in which Marty Cannon, school principal, remembered him as “special.”
“I don’t think there’s ever been anybody like Tiger,” he said, per USA Today. “Between the athlete and the depth and the character and just the way he held himself, he was a special guy.”
Princeton football coach Bob Surace issued a statement saying that he had been a “Tiger” in every way.
“[He was] a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend. Our last conversation was about how proud I was of the growth he showed during his time at Princeton and the success he was having after graduation. My love goes to the entire Bech family,” the coach added.
A GoFundMe has also been established to “honor” the sports star. The fundraiser, which has already raised over $79,000, called Tiger an “incredible” young man.
Tiger Bech played wide receiver for the Princeton Tigers.
Icon Sportswire via AP Images
The death toll in the deadly attack has now risen to at least 15 people, the FBI announced on Jan. 1. The deceased suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, the FBI said in a news release.
The FBI also confirmed the presence of an apparent ISIS flag in the Ford pickup truck used in the attack to drive through a crowd of people celebrating the new year on Bourbon Street.
