St. Joe’s community is grieving the loss of Kai Messmer, a 2023 graduate who tragically died in a motorcycle accident on April 6 in Florida.
Kai Messmer, 21, a freshman from Buffalo, NY, was also a standout track athlete at SUNYAC ( State University of New York Athletic Conference).
At the SUNYAC Championships, he placed 3rd in the long jump and 7th in the triple jump during the outdoor season and 3rd in the long jump and 6th in the triple jump during the indoor season.
Teachers Mourn The Loss Of Kai Messmer
Tammy Pugh, former executive principal at National Heritage Academies, reached out to friends and family to share the tragic news of their dear friend Kai’s motorcycle accident.
While the loss is deeply felt, Tammy expressed the desire to honor Kai’s memory meaningfully by creating a video tribute filled with love, laughter, and memories from those who knew him.
As Tammy shared, Kai was a true friend to everyone, with a vibrant personality and a big heart.
He had a way of leaving a lasting impression on anyone he met, whether they knew him for a short time or a lifetime.
Tammy invited everyone to contribute photos, short video messages, and written memories reflecting Kai’s spirit to celebrate his life.
…If you have a favorite memory, a funny story, a heartfelt message, or just a beautiful moment captured in a photo — we would love to include it in this tribute.
Tammy Pugh
How to Submit:
You can mail your photos, videos, or messages to: [email protected]
Please submit by: Wednesday, April 9th
Video Tips (if you’re recording a message):
Keep it short and sweet — 1 to 2 minutes is perfect
Choose a quiet space with minimal background noise
Good lighting helps! Face a window or use soft lighting
Record in landscape (horizontal) mode
Speak from the heart — it doesn’t have to be perfect
Whether your message is funny, emotional, or simple — every voice matters, and every memory shared helps us keep Kai’s legacy alive.
Thank you for helping us honor him in a way that’s as special as he was.
She also shared some touching news about Kai’s legacy. Through the gift of organ donation, Kai gave a 64-year-old man and a 76-year-old man the chance to continue their lives, as both received life-saving kidney transplants.
In addition to the kidney donations, Kai’s tissue, bone, and eye donations would help many others in the days, months, and years that followed, ensuring that his impact lived on.
She noted that Kai’s light was eternal, shining through every life he had touched.
For those who wished to honor Kai by giving back, Tammy mentioned that they were working on the details for donations to his high school track team, St. Joe’s, and Mt. Saint Mary’s, where Kai had coached.
We will be honoring Kai’s life with two services:
Buffalo, NY – Thursday, April 10th (more details coming soon)
Tammy Pugh
Florida – near the end of the month (details to follow)
Thank you for continuing to walk with us through this unimaginable time. Your love, prayers, and support mean everything. Kai’s light is eternal — and it shines through every life he touches.
For those looking to pay it forward, we are working on details of how you can donate to his high school track team (St. Joes) or Mt. Saint Mary’s where he coached.
Similarly, a teacher, Melanie Re Crounse, said she felt fortunate to have known him for the years that she did.
They’d often spend free periods together discussing books, art, his collection of watches, and music.
In his senior year, they awarded him a scholarship, the Kenny Books Award (named after her mentor, Jack), because of his love and enthusiasm for literature.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Kai Messmer lost his father while he was young
- He was also involved in the music and theatre program.
- Tammy Pugh carried him for half of the 5K race when he was a young track athlete.
