‘Example of strength.’ Friends remember UK student who died in Israel

Before she died in an accident while studying abroad in the Middle East, Te’Niya Jones was known at the University of Kentucky as a student who encouraged those around her and was honest – even when people didn’t want to hear the truth.

Jones, 19, was swimming in the Mediterranean Sea just after midnight on July 28 when she and two other students got caught up in a strong current, according to UK. The two other students were able to make it back to shore, but Jones did not. Her body was found July 30.

On Thursday night, dozens of her friends gathered at the Gatton Student Center on UK’s campus to remember her at a vigil organized by the Black Student Union. Even though she did not return to campus with her peers this fall, her friends at the vigil said they had to make sure she wasn’t forgotten.

“She was determined, she was driven. If she wanted it, she was going to get it,” said Nia Taylor, Jones’ former roommate. “She was a caring person, if you were her friend, there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for you. That being said, she was always honest with you, whether you wanted to hear it or not.”

Jones’ friends said that she always seemed to have it together.

“She was about her business. She did all her school work, you would always catch her doing her homework or something like that,” Jahqethea Johnson said. “Or if she broke a nail, you knew she was going to the nail shop.”

Jones knew from the moment that she stepped on UK’s campus that she wanted to be a surgeon, Taylor said. She’d torn her ACL in high school and had thought about going into orthopedic surgery. But most importantly, she said she wanted to help people.

The people who lived in the same dorm as Jones last year, including UK student Alexis Longstreet, said she had an impact on everyone around her.

“She was a vibrant person all around, and if you were with her she made you feel confident, no matter what,” Longstreet said. “Like I feel like if you think of her, whatever you’re going through, that’s your example of strength.”

Thursday night’s vigil was officiated by Royal Todd, one of the resident advisers at the dorm where Jones lived. He said he hoped that people left Thursday night’s vigil feeling connected to one another.

“She was someone who was very loved and loved very much,” Todd said in an interview. “As is indicative of all the people that came out tonight, she was someone who definitely didn’t leave people feeling as if they were less than. She left them feeling encouraged and so out of respect and remembrance of who she was and who she is, I just hope that we all remember those qualities to lift each other up, especially during this difficult time.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to benefit a foundation to continue Jones’ legacy and provide scholarships to graduating high school students “that persevere as she did.” As of Thursday night, the campaign had raised almost $5,000.

Jones’ study abroad program was based in Amman, Jordan, and four of the program’s students, including Jones, had taken a bus to Tel Aviv the weekend of the accident, according to the UK.

Jones, who was from Ft. Myers, Fla., was a sophomore studying biology and Islamic studies at UK.

Jones’ mother, Tosha Thomas-Mora, lost her 22-year-old son, Samuel Jones Jr., to a shooting last December, according to a report by the News-Press.

This story was originally published September 27, 2018 at 10:18 PM.