TAYLOR FORCE, Z"L,
A West Point graduate, a US Army Artillery Field
officer who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and an Eagle Scout, Taylor
Force left behind a legacy of service when his life was cut short
Tuesday night by a terrorist who went on a stabbing spree on the Jaffa beachfront promenade.
The
Lubbock, Texas native was eulogized by Barrett Caldwell, who in a
Facebook post described himself as a close friend heartbroken at the
loss of a unique and heroic man.
“My
boy graduated West Point in 2009 and deployed to the front lines in
Afghanistan and Iraq where he served and led as a Field Artillery
Officer amongst his men in battle. His decisions, actions, and
leadership were heroic and yet he stayed so humble when we talked
privately.
I know it's often said when we lose someone, but man, Taylor was
the epitome of a gentleman, a fellow military officer, and a friend. I
can hear his voice and laugh now as we talked about life and memories
together.”
Caldwell said he learned of his friend’s murder on Twitter, and began sobbing in a parking lot a world away in Florida.
“Dude
was such a good good man,” he wrote in the viral Facebook post, adding
that his friend “exemplified service, character, intentionality in
fellowship, and was an absolute joy to be around time after time. Love
the guy.”
In a message posted on Tuesday, Vanderbilt University
Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos said “It is with extreme sadness that I
write to inform you that Taylor Force, a student at our Owen Graduate
School of Management, was fatally wounded March 8 in a stabbing attack
while on an Owen school trip to Tel Aviv, Israel. All other Vanderbilt
students, faculty and staff on the trip are safe.”
“Taylor
embarked on this trip to expand his understanding of global
entrepreneurship and also to share his insights and knowledge with
start-ups in Israel. He exemplified the spirit of discovery, learning
and service that is the hallmark of our wonderful Owen community. This
horrific act of violence has robbed our Vanderbilt family of a young
hopeful life and all of the bright promise that he held for bettering
our greater world,” the statement continued.
In a November 2015
profile on the website “Poets and Quants”, Force said of his goals at
Vanderbilt that “in addition to learning the skills needed to be
successful in business, I want to establish life-long connections and
friendships with my fellow students from the U.S. and around the globe.
Also, Vanderbilt already does a terrific job being a part of and giving
back to the community; I would like to help maintain and promote that
altruistic culture.”
Reached on Wednesday, a media representative
for Vanderbilt said they currently do not have clearance to discuss the
incident or provide names of other students attending the trip to
Israel with Force.
A former West Point classmate of Force, David
Simpkins, told the Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that Force “was what
everyone expects someone who goes to West Point to be – the best and
brightest, the best combination of brains and athleticism.”
“There’s nothing bad that anybody I know could say about the guy,” Simpkins said.
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