Utah football: Aaron Lowe’s family faces devastating loss

It’s a parent’s worst nightmare.

Donna Lowe-Sterns and William Smith have been living this nightmare ever since learning that their son, Utah defensive back Aaron Lowe, was shot dead early Sunday morning.

Lowe, 21, was the second in a series of lowe-Sterns-born boy triplets.

“It really, really devastated me to know that I don’t have my son,” Lowe-Sterns told KSL-TV earlier this week.

Smith expressed similar angst when speaking to WFAA-TV in Dallas.

“I’m not crying because he’s gone. I guess I’m crying because I can’t see him, I can’t talk to him, I can’t hold him, ”he said.

Lowe’s biological father, Darwin Lowe, told The Associated Press he spoke to his son ahead of last Saturday’s game against Washington State.

“We were always communicating with each other,” said Darwin Lowe. “My mind just repeats every moment, every conversation we’ve had.”

Aaron Lowe’s brother Erin told KDFW-TV in Dallas that he watched his triplet brother play against WSU.

“He was so amazing in so many ways,” Erin said. “Someone so young, doing so well in his life can be taken away by a senseless crime.”

Aaron Lowe, in his third season as a defensive back for the Utes, was shot while attending a house party at Sugar House.

Salt Lake City Police Department investigators said they had “several potential promising leads” in the case. Police said Lowe was outside and across the street when the shots were fired which killed him and left an unidentified woman in critical condition.

Police say the shooting took place after uninvited guests were asked to leave the party and the search for the suspect was underway.

Lowe-Sterns told KSL that, according to what police told him, “It was just my kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. He didn’t do anything wrong. I had that from authority. He didn’t do anything wrong.

Her son stayed out of trouble, Lowe-Sterns said.

“It helps me to know that I raised a good kid. He was not a troublemaker, ”she said. “He didn’t engage in fights and arguments, and he didn’t take any weapons – he didn’t do any of those things. I raised him to love God and love people.

Lowe-Sterns pleaded that anyone can help the police solve the case and bring to justice the person who shot his son to come forward.

“I know whoever hurt him, Aaron wouldn’t have hurt him. He wouldn’t have done anything to hurt him because it’s not in him, ”she said. “A mother shouldn’t have to bury her child. I just want everyone to know: if you know anything – anything – about the people who did this to my child, please introduce yourself and say something.

“I don’t think they should be allowed to be free. I want them to pay for what they have done, and I hope they have a conscience – that they will show up and surrender because they know what they have done.

Wednesday night, Utah held a candlelight vigil in honor of Lowe. Hundreds of students and members of the university community participated.

Coach Kyle Whittingham and the Utah players spoke at the event, as did athletic director Mark Harlan.

Harlan has spent a lot of time with Lowe’s mom this week.

“She is a remarkable woman. She told me that God had a plan and that she was at peace about it. Then she told me how much Aaron loved the University of Utah, ”he said. “Coach (Morgan) Scalley and Coach (Sharrieff) Shah walked into his home and when he got this scholarship it was just a moment. … He went to the University of Utah, which was a dream for him.

“She also spoke at length about her last day on earth, playing a football game, in the place he loved, with his teammates, whom he loved very much, on national television. It was his dream. It was his experience here.

Harlan encouraged the football team, the sports department and the college community to lean on and support each other during this difficult time.

“Where do we go from here? I wish I had all the answers. I certainly don’t. But here’s something I do know,” he said. “I know this department of student-athletes is a family Families take care of each other in the best and the worst times The only thing I know is to go through this together… We can go through this together, for him.

Utah established the Aaron Lowe Funeral Service Fund to help the Lowe family with funeral expenses. All excess donations will go into a memorial fund in Lowe’s honor.