LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- An annual fundraiser kicked off Wednesday in honor of a University of Louisiana at Lafayette student, who lost his life to an accidental combination of prescription and over the counter cold medicine.
Every year, his mother, Carol Trosclair, raises money in honor of her late son, David, for UL Lafayette students chasing his same dream of working in physical therapy.
Trosclair and UL kinesiology students raise this money by selling $10 raffle tickets. The grand prize is a customized vacation for two and each ticket can be redeemed for a free gift at a partnering business. All money raised goes towards David's memorial scholarship.
"He was one of those rare students who, he had it all, from a professor's standpoint, seeing in a student. He had grades, 3.9 GPA. He was in great shape. He exercised, and he gave. He did a lot of service," said UL Associate Professor of Biomechanics in the School of Kinesiology, Brian Campbell.
Out of 1,000 students in David Trosclair's kinesiology class, David was the top student. The David Trosclair scholarship in kinesiology now helps students, like David, who had dreams of becoming a physical therapist.
"I think the students see us going above and beyond, and so they kind of feel like I need to do my share also and kind of pull their weight. So it's a good lesson, I think, for the kids about hard work, keeping someone's memory alive, and a little part of David lives on with all of our scholarship winners. That's kind of humbling, and that's kind of beautiful," Campbell said.
He says a $10 raffle tickets may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way.
"If y'all didn't buy books and tickets, I'd have nothing to give these wonderful students. So I just want to say to y'all, thank you so much for coming, thank you for giving, thank you for being my friend," David's mom, Carol, said at the fundraising event.
Carol dedicates her time year after year to raising funds for the scholarship since it was established in 2011.
"We've been raising money since then, and what we raise, we give. What we raise, we give because these students need it now. So that's why I'm back at it this year," she said. "It's just wonderful that we've turned it into a community scholarship, and the community, for $10, can say, 'I support UL scholarships.'"
As for David, he gets to still help other students achieve their goals, just as he would if he was still here.
"I think he's probably saying, 'Mom, you're amazing. You're just too much,'" Carol said.
You can buy the $10 raffle tickets by contacting Carol Trosclair at 337-255-8155.
Travel Machine will pull the winning ticket for a trip for two at the last Kinesiology Professional Association Meeting on Nov. 19.
