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TCC Remembers Terence Crutcher

Matt Trotter
/
KWGS

The community remembered Terence Crutcher at an event hosted Friday by Tulsa Community College.

Lawrence Rosenborough sang his friend's favorite song, "I Can't Complain," at a remembrance ceremony. TCC President Leigh Goodson said Crutcher believed in the transformative power of education.

"Like so many of our students, he brought to TCC his talents, hopes and dreams of completing a degree, a dream for both himself and his family," Goodson said.

Administrator Joseph Schnetzer told the story of when he first met the 40-year-old music student whose instrument was his voice. They were in the fitness center, and Schnetzer told Crutcher he'd like to hear him sing sometime.

Crutcher launched into a rendition of "Amazing Grace" on the spot.

"When Terence finished, we kind of paused for a moment and then started to talk with him, and he said that he's been through a lot in his life," Schnetzer said. "He had a lot to overcome, and I could tell that the profound way that he sang was from what he had been through."

Crutcher died a week ago after being shot by a police officer in north Tulsa. State Sen. Kevin Matthews met with Crutcher's family before the noon ceremony. Matthews said though Crutcher's death is a tragedy, there's something different about Tulsa.

"I'm so grateful that as I stood with the family, they want their legacy to be of love and peace, and that's what we've had so far in Tulsa and we want that to continue," Matthews said.

Those in attendance released dozens of white balloons in Crutcher's honor.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.