The curly-haired young teen who leapt from the fourth floor of a Los Angeles high school after he was pummeled by a bully in a classroom lived his life as a “beautiful, caring, and loving boy,” according to his grief-stricken family.
Xavier Nungarary, 17, has been identified as the Franklin High School boy who bystanders caught on video withstanding punches from a suspected bully before darting out of a classroom and jumping over a fourth-floor railing onto the concrete below.
His family released heartbreaking pictures of the teen as they tred to raise funds to quell some of their financial burden and to cover his funeral expenses.
“Losing a child is an unimaginable pain, and this family is now facing the emotional weight of grief while also trying to make arrangements to honor his life,” the family wrote. “Lilia shared that their son was a beautiful, caring, and loving boy who meant so much to the people around him. His passing has left a deep void in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.”
Nungaray was a senior at the Highland Park high school at the time of the fall. Officials found him on the scene and rushed him to the hospital, but he was later found dead.
Family members and loved ones held a memorial for Nungaray on Thursday. His stepmom told CBS LA that other students bullied Nungaray throughout high school and he was “hesitant to speak up.”
“He was scared that he was gonna end up getting punished instead of the bullies,” she said.
The Los Angeles Police Department told NBC LA that there is no evidence that his death was caused by foul play, but the department is aware of videos circulating showing him in an altercation before his demise.
Students returned to school Thursday as the school offered mental health support and other resources to those who needed it. Several students appeared to witness Nungaray jumping off the fourth floor, and some viewed his body below.
A parent whose daughter knew Nungaray said Xavier was a “really nice kid.” Their daughter chose to stay home Thursday.
“You think that being at school, they’re safe,” Eleo Rolon told NBC LA. “She told me he was a really nice kid. Very quiet.”
Some parents have criticized the school for not giving the community enough time to grieve, opening its doors the day after his death.
“The district needs to be held accountable,” one parent told KTLA. “The school should have been closed today.”
“They should have respected that one person — human, child, someone’s child,” another parent said.
