BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Hundreds of students, faculty, family and friends on Wednesday packed Houston Gymnasium on the campus of SUNY Buffalo State to celebrate the life of Bradley Doyley.
"As we mourn his passing, we also wish to celebrate the life of a young man that was and will always be an important part of our community," said President Katherine Conway-Turner, Buffalo State College.
School officials say Doyley died during an alleged hazing incident off-campus. He was 21.
"While anything I'm saying to you today will not answer the questions, 'Why Bradley? Why did he have to die?', I encourage you to hold on to God's unfailing hands. He has the answer, He is the answer." said Pastor Rohan Simpson.
Doyley was a senior majoring in business. He played on the Bengals basketball team but his goal was to someday manage a professional sports team or work as a sports agent.
Coach Fajri Ansari says with the season still underway, Doyley's loss has been hard on the team.
"Just a lot of emotion, a lot of time, but I'm proud of them, they're hurting right now but I think in the long term Bradley's spirit is going to live on with them," said Ansari.
"No one standing here could say that they did not know Bradley in some capacity because that's how he was he was, so full of life. When he walked into a room, it lit up because Bradley was there," said Derek Jorden, United Student Governments president.
While there are questions and a police investigation surrounding his death, family and friends gave him one last tribute in the place that meant so much to him.
"Let's pretend Bradley is being introduced for the starting lineup one more time and let's let him know how much we love Bradley," said Tom Koller, Sr. Associate Director of Athletics, to applause.