‘Friends, sons, nephews, grandsons, brothers’: WVU honors lives of four students at bell-ringing ceremony
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MORGANTOWN – Brayden Smith, Matthew Powell, Peyton Pettry and James Smith were honored by the West Virginia University community at a bell-ringing ceremony Wednesday. The annual event commemorates the lives and legacies of WVU students who died in the last year.
The remembrance took place at Oglebay Plaza at noon and was organized by Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity and the Office of Campus and Community life.
The event commenced with three rings of the USS West Virginia bell and a moment of silence.
Carrie Showalter, dean of students and associate vice president for Student Life, expressed her condolences for the friends and families of the fallen. She told memories of each student and invited the crowd to share their personal experiences.
Aerospace and mechanical engineering graduate and Morgantown native Brayden Smith passed away Nov. 24, 2025.
Smith was heavily involved in the engineering department as a tutor and an F1 Formula Club member. He loved art, anime, computers, motorcycles and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Showalter explained.
"It is clear he was loved and cherished by all who knew him," Showalter said. "His family said that he was a friend to all and will be remembered for his witty humor and generosity."
Scott Wayne, associate professor in the department of mechanical, materials and aerospace engineering, was Smith's faculty advisor for the Formula SAE club, a competition where students build and design racecars. He shared accounts of Smith's dedication to the team and helping his classmates.
"We think about Brayden everyday. We honor him everyday with the hard work of the team. He was a hard worker. He was a bright student, and we miss him a lot," he said.
This year, the team has decided to name the car 'BMS One' in honor of their friend and classmate.
Matthew Powell, a sophomore psychology student from Morgantown, passed away Feb. 24, 2026. He graduated from University High School in 2024, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and track team.
"Matthew's family says that he was known for his integrity, humor and compassion," Showalter said. "Matthew loves sports, working out and spending time with his family and friends."
Claire St. Peter, department chair of the department of psychology, said she didn't get the chance to know Matthew personally, but feels connected to him since his death after getting to know his close comrades.
She said that Powell was enrolled in the psychology department's rigorous research methods course and was impressed at how close he became with his peer group in such a short time.
"The fact that Matthew bonded with his peer group said so much about his character, that compassion and humor that his parents noted, his warmth and quick sense of being easy with those around him and being willing to give all to those around him," she said. "His lab group only knew him for a matter of weeks, but they were heartbroken at his passing. They didn't grieve because there was one fewer person to share the work with. They grieved because of the connection they had built with Matthew just in that short period of time."
Peter praised Powell for his ability to make such a large major "feel small."
"To his family and all those who loved him, please know that he mattered here," she said. "He mattered to us. He mattered to the community. He's missed by those who sat beside him, by the instructors who interacted with him, and by the department, who had hope for his continued presence with us."
Peyton Pettry, senior honors chemistry major from Arnett, W.Va., passed away March 18, 2026. Set to graduate in May 2026, Pettry planned to attend dental school, and was a member of the dental club.
"Peyton enjoyed playing video games, traveling, spending time with friends, and most of all his family. He has been described as patient, joyful, compassionate and full of promise," Showalter said.
Daniel Brewster, sociology and anthropology professor, was Pettry's teacher and advisor for the Global Medical and Dental Brigade. Pettry joined Brewster on a trip to Panama in 2024 and applauded his sense of courage to help others despite his chronic illness.
"Peyton joined the Global Medical and Dental Brigade in the fall of 2024, bringing an unmistakable kindness that left a mark on everyone he met," Brewster said. "He was never the loudest in the room or someone who sought the spotlight, but if you paid attention, and we learned to, you saw how he showed up again and again with humility and care."
Brewster recalled Pettry's dreams of becoming a dentist and how excited he was to put the skills he learned in the classroom into practice when studying abroad.
"I remember how excited he was when we got his DAT score. His dream felt even more tangible," Brewster said. "He had a big, genuine, mischievous little grin that appeared at just the right moments. During Charla, he worked with his small group in a way that reflected exactly who he was. He let the kids climb all over him. He laughed with them. They were all just kids in those moments. They adored him. We all did. Even across a language barrier, Peyton connected effortlessly. That's not something you can teach."
Pettry was accepted into the 2025 Dental Brigade program, but was unable to attend. Brewster said he wishes he could have been there and honors his legacy daily.
"I still find it difficult to reconcile the plans we made with the reality of his absence. In the months leading up to that brigade, even as he told me he was not feeling well, he continued to contribute and remain present," Brewster said. "Quietly, he was struggling, yet he never asked for recognition or made excuses. Looking back, I realized just how much his perseverance deserved to be acknowledged."
Brewster encouraged the WVU community to take a lesson from Pettry and his heroism. He asked everyone to remember not only the life he lived, but mourn what he could have been.
"Peyton was a first generation college student with a powerful dream and a determination to achieve it," he said. "He was hard working, compassionate and full of promise. More than anything, he was an extraordinary person and a true friend. ...His legacy is in the lives he touched, in the lives he saved."
James Smith, a senior mechanical engineering student from Spring, Texas, passed away April 12, 2026. Smith was known for his "natural ability to make others laugh," in addition to his easygoing and kindhearted personality, Showalter said.
"He was a devoted Philadelphia Eagles fan who loved to travel and experience new cultures and food," she said. "He enjoyed playing video games and listening to music. ...He loved his cats, Juice and Dior, but what he loved most was spending time with his family, especially his girlfriend Jenny."
President Michael Benson shared his concern for the families and friends who lost their loved ones this past year. He applauded them for their ability to stay strong in the face of tragedy.
"We all have obligations and duties, but for a moment, we stop. We stop and remember," he said. "I hope that we will never forget these four remarkable students, friends, sons, nephews, grandsons, brothers, and that as we go about our day, as these students are doing today, there's a special moment. There's a special place in our heart, our minds, when we remember."