Ithaca College senior Tyler Scerbo, age 22, died by suicide Aug. 18 at his off-campus residence in Ithaca.
Scerbo was an exercise science major studying in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance. Before attending college, Scerbo graduated from Morris Hills High School in Rockaway, New Jersey. He had been a member of the college’s Track and Field team and was going to graduate in December 2023.
The college notified the campus community Aug. 20 of Scerbo’s death in a letter from Bonnie Prunty, vice president of Student Affairs and Campus Life, and Dean of Students Marsha Dawson.
“Please join us in keeping in our prayers Tyler’s family, friends, classmates, teammates, professors, and everyone whose life he touched,” Prunty and Dawson wrote.
There will be a viewing held from 3–7 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Norman Dean Funeral Home in Denville, New Jersey. The following day, a funeral service will be held at 9 a.m. Aug. 25 at the Norman Dean Funeral Home. Afterward, there will be a service at 10 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dover, New Jersey.
On Aug. 22, Scerbo’s friends, teammates and mentors gathered in Muller Chapel to celebrate his life and come together in mourning. Students and staff who knew Scerbo shared memories of him, including anecdotes about his infectious laugh, back-cracking hugs, work ethic and college-student antics.
Senior Jacob Manthey said that when he transferred to Ithaca College he was randomly assigned Scerbo as his roommate, which was the start of an unbreakable bond.
“He took me as a friend right away,” Manthey said. “He was on [the track] team, he could have easily not seen me, but he brought me everywhere with him. … I didn’t know anyone and that meant the world to me. … Anyone will tell you he was special.”
Kelly Warren ’23 said that she met Scerbo living in Rowland Hall as a first-year student and that they instantly clicked and spent time together every day.
“He was amazing,” Warren said. “He was the best friend I could ask for. We definitely did some stupid stuff together.”
Senior Taylor Volmrich said because they and Scerbo both majored in exercise science, they took many classes together and became quite close. Volmrich said their similarities became an inside joke of sorts with them being “Taylor and Tyler” and Volmrich on the rowing team while Scerbo was on the throwing team.
“I began equating us to two halves of a very similar person,” Volmrich said. “We thought it was so hilarious. We were both supposed to intern in the weight room this fall, so I’d been really looking forward to coming back and doing that with him.”
Even in high school, Scerbo competed on the track team — briefly as a pole vaulter — mainly as a thrower in shot put, discus and javelin. In college, he continued shot put and javelin and also learned the hammer and weight throw.
Not only was he a dedicated athlete, but several of those who shared stories about Scerbo mentioned his cleanliness and cooking talents and how he was always making meals for his loved ones. Anyone with memories and stories of Scerbo is encouraged by his family to share them through his obituary page on the Norman Dean Funeral Home website.
“He certainly made an impact and will continue to do so,” Volmrich said.
Jim Nichols, head coach of the men’s track and field team, also spoke about Scerbo as well as Provost Melanie Stein, Yasin Ahmed, director of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, and many others.
Scerbo’s family have created the Scerbo Memorial Fund which memorial donations can be made to. All donations will be distributed equally among the track teams at Morris Hills High School and Ithaca College, as well as the Rutgers University Foundation which sponsors the NJ Hopeline.
Anyone with memories and stories of Scerbo is encouraged by his family to share them through the Norman Dean Funeral Home website. Scerbo’s obituary can also be found there.
Students can make appointments for virtual or in-person sessions with Counseling and Psychological Services counselors by calling 607-274-3136 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students can reach counselors outside of these hours by calling 607-274-3136 and selecting #5. For immediate assistance call the Office of Public Safety at 607-274-3333.
CAPS will have extended walk-in hours on Monday, Aug. 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Faculty and staff can call 1-800-327-2255 to access counseling services from the Employee Assistance Program. An EAP representative will be on campus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 21 in the Center for Health Sciences room 200. Then, from 2–3 p.m. Aug. 22, a representative will be in CHS room 203 to lead a self-care discussion with HSHP employees and afterward will be available for individual support from 3–5 p.m.
Students can also access grief resources by visiting the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life’s website or by emailing spirituallife@ithaca.edu. Members of the campus community can submit an ICare referral if they are concerned about the well-being of a student or would like help navigating available resources.
Individuals who are in crisis or are concerned about another individual can call the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 to receive 24/7 free and confidential support and resources.
