Drexel University men's basketball player died by suicide, Philadelphia officials say
Terrence Butler was a native of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, according to the school's website.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Officials have revealed more details about the passing of a player on Drexel University's Men's basketball team.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health confirmed to Action News on Friday that Terrence Butler's death has been ruled a suicide.
Butler died on Wednesday, the school said.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or is in emotional distress, contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or at 988LifeLine.org
According to the university, Terrence Butler, a rising junior in the College of Engineering and member of the men's basketball team, passed away in his on-campus apartment.
"On behalf of the entire Drexel community, we extend our deepest sympathy to Terrence's family, friends, and teammates. In addition to being a student-athlete, Terrence was involved in numerous activities and organizations at Drexel and was a friend to many throughout the University community," said a portion of the message from the university.
Butler was a native of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, according to the school's website. He is survived by his parents and two sisters, both of whom also play college basketball.
He averaged 17.8 points and seven rebounds per game when he was in high school.
The 6-foot-7 forward was also named to the Coastal Athletic Association's Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll last season.
Off the court, people on campus say Butler was the kind of student that everyone knew and everybody liked.
"Beautiful guy had a nice family. Everybody knew him, everybody on campus knew who he was, and he would treat everybody just the same. You know what I mean, good guy, family-oriented," said Mark Witalec, an employee at the university.
"He was a good kid. He came in every day for breakfast. Positive attitude, always upbeat, definitely going to be missed," added Marvin Saunders with Drexel University.
School officials say various mental health and counseling resources are available to students during this time.
Counseling professionals can be contacted by students by calling 215-895-1415 or after regular business hours at 215-416-3337.
They can also be reached at counsel@drexel.edu or by visiting the Creese Student Center, Suite 201, officials said.
"We lost a good guy, a good person for the community and everything," said Witalec. "We lost a good guy today."
