by Janette Villafana
This article was originally published in Spanish by La Opinión and was written and translated by Janette Villafana.
Hundreds of parents, students, and community members gathered on Thursday in front of Franklin High School in Highland Park to pay tribute to Xavier Nungarary, the 17-year-old student who tragically lost his life on Wednesday after falling or jumping from the fourth floor during school hours.
According to the school, students organized the vigil on Thursday to celebrate Xavier’s life. One by one, students arrived with their parents and friends, each stepping up to leave flowers and light candles in the student’s memory.
Although the Los Angeles Police Department had previously stated there was no evidence of foul play in the young man’s death, they said they are aware of videos circulating on social media showing the teenager being assaulted by another student before the fall.
One video appears to show a teacher attempting to intervene in the altercation before Xavier was struck in the face multiple times. Subsequently, the 17-year-old is seen running down a hallway, while the student who struck him runs after him, after Xavier appears to jump over the school’s fourth-floor railing.
The following day, some students returned to class, while others chose to stay home. That Thursday afternoon, shock and grief were evident in the teary eyes of students and parents alike.
Xavier Nungarary’s parents received support from the school community and later thanked those who attended the vigil.
Roselda Elías, the mother of two students at the school, said she let her children stay home on Thursday after seeing how deeply the news affected them. That same afternoon, she went to the school with her daughter and son. All three left flowers, lit a candle, and Elías knelt down and prayed for young Xavier and his family.
“This death is affecting everyone, and what hurts and frustrates us most as parents is that no one put a stop to the bullying this boy faced,” Elías said. “This could have been prevented. The school needs more resources for students and to take these fights and instances of bullying seriously. There has to be consequences.”
Her daughter, Griselda, was in class when the tragic incident happened. She said they didn’t know what was going on at first, but knew it was something serious because the school went on lockdown. Griselda said that although she didn’t know Xavier personally, she is still deeply affected by the news and the graphic videos circulating online.
“It’s sad what happened; this shouldn’t have happened at all,” said Griselda. “I don’t think you need to know someone to feel sadness and empathy for them. Some people witnessed what happened and didn’t act or do anything; I feel that, as a school community, we should help one another, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
She added, “I feel they need to offer more help here at the school because bullying is very common.”
Students from Franklin High School in Highland Park, Los Angeles, comfort one another around a memorial for Xavier Nungarary, who passed away on September 30.
Griselda, accompanied by her mother Roselda Elías, lights a candle in memory of Xavier Nungarary at Franklin High School in Highland Park, Los Angeles.
Saddened for their friend Xavier
Another student present was Aarón, a friend of Xavier, who said he was in his own class when he heard a commotion outside. He said that within minutes the video began to circulate, and when he saw it, he immediately realized that the person who had jumped was his friend.
“I’m sad. My dad always tells me to enjoy this stage of my life, to make memories with my friends, because life is short—and look,” said Aarón, fighting back tears. “My favorite memory of us is when we went to the L.A. County Fair with our whole group of friends. I bought him food, and he looked so happy. We were just having fun. He radiated so much joy; I can’t believe it.”
Students at the vigil hugged and comforted one another as they wept over the loss of their classmate. Some held signs bearing his name, while others wore T-shirts with the slogan “Long Live Xavier.”
At the same time, other students were writing messages for Xavier and his family on a whiteboard the school had set up for them and for community members.
Brenda, a resident of Highland Park—a community located between downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena—attended the vigil after seeing the news the night before. She said her brother had died in a similar way many years ago, and the news brought back the pain she felt that very day. She went to the school that evening to pay her respects to the family.
“My brother jumped off a bridge, but it hurt so much to see a young life gone,” Brenda said. “I feel there needs to be more resources for these students. I feel adults have forgotten what it’s like to be young and have to deal with bullying, and how hard it can be for a child to ask for help.”
Students from Franklin High School, in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, write messages of support for Xavier Nungarary’s family on a whiteboard.
Concerns about bullying rise
Another mother present—who preferred not to share her name—said she attended the vigil not because she had a child at that specific school, but because her own daughter has been dealing with bullying since she was in elementary school.
“When I saw the news, I burst into tears just thinking that my daughter could feel that way someday,” said the mother, who attended with her daughter, now a middle school student. “I’ve spoken to school officials; I even transferred her to a different school once, yet nothing has been done. It hurts to think there will be more situations like this if schools don’t do more for our children.”
Out of six of the parents La Opinion spoke with, who were present at the vigil, four said their child had at one point or another experienced bullying in their schools. They also said little was done about the situation, and most schools didn’t have a proper protocol for dealing with severe bullying.
Earlier this year, another LAUSD student by the name of Khimberly Zavaleta lost their life after defending her sister against a group of bullies when she was struck in the head with a metal water bottle. Her family filed a claim against the district stating that they failed to address the bullying that was going on, which resulted in their daughter’s death.
On Thursday, parents were angry and in tears, demanding answers from the school and district about Xavier and the broader issue of bullying in classrooms. Some held signs that read “Justice for Xavier” and “Stop the bullying.”
According to a report from the LA Times, between July 1 and Nov. 6, there were 1,786 incidents of fighting and physical aggression reported on LAUSD campuses.
Late Wednesday night, an LAUSD spokesperson shared an updated statement regarding the situation at Franklin High School.
“We recognize that events such as this can affect students and staff in different ways,” the statement said, in part. “The well-being of our school community remains our top priority. School mental health professionals and support staff will be available throughout the day tomorrow to provide counseling, support, and a safe space for students who may wish to talk.”
Xavier’s father was also present that evening alongside his wife. They only said a few words and thanked the community for honoring their son in such a special way. Ultimately, the crowd filled the street with love, heartfelt sentiments, and memories of the student. Some of his childhood friends and classmates spoke about the 17-year-old, with many describing him as a good young man who was always cheerful and made his classmates smile.
For now, the Los Angeles Police Department is leading an active investigation into the death at the school, and according to school representatives, students will have access to professional support to help them process the events. A community meeting will also be held in the coming days, allowing the community to speak openly about their concerns and grief following the tragic death.
A GoFundMe campaign to support young Xavier’s family with funeral expenses and other costs had raised over $100,000 by Thursday night.
