Classmate remembered at homecoming pep rally
Laura Thomé Koch stood in the crowd at Winter Park High School’s homecoming pep rally, her arms around family friends, and cried as Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” played over the speakers as a tribute to her brother, Roger Trindade.
On Oct. 15, Roger, 15, was found unconscious near Central Park, which Wednesday evening was crowded with students and parents celebrating homecoming. He was later declared brain dead and taken off life support Oct. 17.
Thomé Koch, 24, said her family wanted the
pep rally to go on as planned. Her brother, who moved to Florida from Brazil with his parents last year, would have loved it, she said.
“We have to be there because that’s what he would want us to do,” said Thomé Koch, who attended with their mother. “And I know he’s here. I can feel him.”
Passers-by had called 911 Oct. 15 to report a fight involving teenagers, and police arrived to find Roger unresponsive, but with few visible signs of trauma.
Winter Park police said they are almost finished collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses and possible suspects. They have identified the minors involved in the fight, but they have not made any arrests. Investigators are waiting for a medical examiner to determine Roger’s cause of death, which will be determined after the results of lab tests are available.
Thomé Koch said her brother was a thoughtful, happy person and hardworking student. He especially liked psychology, math and physics and wanted to study engineering.
Last month, when Thomé Koch came to visit from Brazil, Roger took her to the theme parks, held her hand and comforted her when she got scared during the rides.
“He loved it here,” she said. “He had this freedom. In Brazil we don’t have this, we worry about the violence. But here he’d ride his bike, play with his friends.”
The homecoming parade Wednesday went past Roger’s memorial, a tree near Park Avenue where community members have been leaving flowers, notes and mementos. Students chanted and cheered for their classmates as they went by. Some brought bouquets to leave at the memorial.
Timothy Smith, the school’s principal, said he contacted Roger’s family ahead of the planned pep rally to see how they felt about the event. They told him they did not want other students to miss out, he said.
“The family — they’re wonderful people, and they think about others,” Smith said. “You can see where he got his heart from.”