Utah football team attends Texas funeral for teammate Aaron Lowe

DALLAS, Texas — The entire University of Utah Football team flew out to Dallas, Texas, Monday morning, not to play, but to remember one of their own as he was laid to rest.

Aaron Lowe, 21, was shot and killed the morning of Sept. 26 while at a house party in Salt Lake.

He was shot multiple times, along with his girlfriend, who ended up surviving the shooting.

The alleged killer was caught one week later.

Around 1 p.m. MDT, Ute football players somberly walked into the Family Cathedral of Praise in Mesquite, a Dallas suburb, to honor Lowe.

“He was the most loyal person I’ve ever met. He would do anything for you,” said an emotional Ja’quinden Jackson, one of Lowe’s teammates.

“That win (Saturday) night against USC was definitely for Aaron,” said teammate Laccarea Johnson.

Aaron grew up in Mesquite, Texas.

He was a triplet of all boys and was born to be an athlete.

His real love was football, and at the University of Utah, he was living his dream — not only as a great athlete, but as a great student.

“It’s hard to be a part of this program. It’s the elite of the elite and he was one of them and he will always be a part of our program,” said University of Utah athletic director Mark Harlan, who also spoke at the funeral.

Coach Kyle Whittingham said Lowe was a light to all who met him, and for him, it was like losing a family member.

“We lost a loved one. We lost a family member and it’s difficult,” said Whittingham.

“I loved Aaron Lowe. His legacy will live on in our hearts and through the memories we have of him.”#22forever #LLAL pic.twitter.com/X8M0gxMPz1

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 11, 2021

Aaron wore No. 22, the same number as his best friend, Ute football player Ty Jordan, who also died of gunfire.

Jordan accidentally shot himself last December.

The No. 22 is now being retired, but there is a new charge for players, coming from one of Lowe’s coaches.

“The only thing I could say to the team that helped my spirit about what our obligation is, is that we don’t need to be just better, but we need to be 22% better, 22% better. I need you to be 22% better,” said Coach Sharrieff Shah.

#LLAL pic.twitter.com/e4zOurQAYT

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 11, 2021

The motive behind the shooting is still unknown, but University of Utah president Taylor R. Randall, who also spoke at the service, said that’s not what’s important right now.

“I think today we all look for a little bit of meaning of why this happened, but for me, I look at it as a life that was well-lived,” said Randall.

#22forever #LLAL pic.twitter.com/4T5COhjWrZ

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 11, 2021