Through tears and spirited cheers, the Buffalo State community mourned the loss of Bradley Doyley. But amid the grief, amid the crying, amid the stories told by speakers, Doyley’s brother was able to get a taste of the love Buffalo State had for Bradley.

“This basically proved what we already knew, that he was in good hands,” Gavin Sandiford said.

During a rainy, cloudy Wednesday afternoon, Houston Gym was packed for a memorial service remembering the late Doyley. The gym was filled with an estimated 350 people, among whom were Doyley’s friends, family, peers and local news outlets.

Doyley a 21-year-old, senior business major at SUNY Buffalo State and former member of the men’s basketball team, died Feb. 18 at Buffalo General Hospital.

All seats were taken. People stood along the walls of the gym. He was mourned, celebrated and remembered during the service. While friends and loved ones are still looking for answers amid an alleged hazing incident involving Doyley and a fraternity, Wednesday was about admiring Bradley’s fun-loving, full of life spirit.

So moved by the service, Assistant Director of Athletics Tom Koller went off the script. He took the microphone and advised the crowd to introduce Bradley into the starting lineup one final

time.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Bradley Doyley,” Koller emphatically announced.

Everybody in attendance roared and clapped powerfully; it transformed into a standing ovation as his orange and black No. 3 jersey was then gifted to the family

A Brooklyn native, Doyley was the youngest of seven children and of Jamaican descent. He was part of the Caribbean Students Organization where he was the “Dance Hall King.” Peter Murphy, the president of the organization and a very good friend of Doyley’s, described the young man as enthusiastic, encouraging, entertaining and a leader.

“Everything positive, that was just him,” Murphy said. “He didn’t believe in negativity, or he really didn’t want any negativity around him. And he was always caring, caring for other people.”

Derek Jorden, USG president and a friend of Doyley, recalled the first time he met Doyley.

It was “fall of 2014, in August when I came to EOP (Equal Opportunity Program),” Jorden said. “I just remember him walking into the room when we were trying to have a meeting welcoming the newcomers and he walked in playing around like ‘What up, y’all!’ It was funny because he made everyone laugh and I was just like, ‘Who is this person coming in here, full of life?’”

The kind words kept flowing, even from people who did not know Doyley personally.

“I didn’t really know him personally,” Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner said. “I saw him play and I knew that he loved basketball. And I know a lot of his friends and faculty had talked about him with me and so I know he’s a very special part of our community.”

Friends of Doyley are planning to create a scholarship in his name. Buffalo State men’s basketball coach Fajri Ansari presented the family with a $3,500 check at the memorial, which was raised by Bradley’s friends through donations at basketball games and through a GoFundMe campaign.

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