A teen who gained notoriety after his yearbook photo went viral committed suicide on Thursday.
Draven Rodriguez, 17, was remembered as a gentle and empathetic person by those that knew him personally.
"He made friends wherever he went," Rodriguez's father, Jonathan Stewart, told The Times Union. "He had friends all over the country — people he'd met at youth-leadership conferences, online, just around town.
"He had an empathy for the world and for other people that I think is rare in kids his age," Stewart continued. "It was wonderful to see."
The friendly high school student gained internet fame after starting an online petition to allow his rescue cat to appear in his yearbook photo. The initiative drew attention from Jimmy Fallon, Ellen Degeneres, and other celebrities.
"He wasn't trying to stir things up with [the photo]," Stewart explained. "He honestly just wanted a silly photo because he had a great sense of humour.''
Rodriguez discussed the inspiration for the photo in an interview with The Daily Gazette in September.
"I don't want to go in the yearbook with the generic 'I-look-like-everyone-else' photo," he said. "I wanted a 'He looks great. Only he would try that' photo."
Calling hours are 4 to 8pm on Thursday at the New Comer Funeral Home in Colonie, New York. Funeral services on Friday are private.
