In 2004, Vanderbilt's season ended much as it has the past couple of decades, with a defeat to state rival Tennessee in late November. Every year the football programs go into a season, hoping that with hard work, they can be playing in December, instead of sitting on campus and eventually heading off for winter break. Most Vandy players and coaches would gladly give up a little bit of that time with their families to go to a long desired Bowl game.

But with that not the cards again in 2004, the Vanderbilt football team, went back to their regular student lives at the Nashville campus, and eventually, went on winter break with the rest of their classmates. Many of the players went home to their native states to see family members and friends they sometimes would only see on few occassions during the school year.

For Kwane Doster, on this winter break, he'd go back home to Tampa, Florida. He would go back home to visit his mother Kelly, his aunt Harriet, older sister Chakana, and younger brother Jermaine. He came back home to spend Christmas with his family and friends in the town where he was molded into a man, the town where he forged success through his exploits on the football field and in the classroom. For Kwane Doster was a success in his neighborhood.

Doster was doing the right thing, going to school at a major academic institution and had a chance to either make a life for himself and his family through his education, or possibly even through his football career in the pros someday.

On Christmas Day, the Doster family was together, opening Christmas presents and enjoying a time when everything was well with the world. Later on, Kwane would get a phone call from some of his friends in his neighborhood, wanting him to hang out. As always, someone would have to come and pick him up, as Kwane didn't have a car.

Kwane would go around his hometown, just hanging out with his friends, visiting various places around the city and it's districts. Apparently during the midst of it, members of his party as well as others became fueled in a shouting match about each other's cars. They were arguing and trash talking about who had the best ride and "rims".

Sadly, one of the most nonessential and irrelevant things as a car and how it looked, would result into cowardly gunfire while Kwane and his friends were parked at a afterhours hang out. One of the bullets would hit Kwane in the chest.

Police and paramedics would rush the 21 year old man to the hospital, but the bullet was fatal...Kwane, a young man who touched so many people either personally or in the football stands, was gone.

The morning after Christmas Day, was not suppose to be the way it was for many who knew Kwane, his family, his friends, his coaches, teammates, classmates, or fans. They were not suppose to get a phone call, telling them that their Kwane was gone.

Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson got a 5 a.m. call, just as friends and teammates Erik Davis, Jay Cutler and many others, about the terrible news. Shock, sadness, tears, anger, all kind of emotions ran through them.

For the community at Vanderbilt, many of Kwane's classmates were on break as well, but since Kwane was a football player in the SEC and a good one at that, his tragedy made local and national news. On December 26th, if you were standing by a television in the late afternoon, you heard what happened.

For Vanderbilt supporters and fans a like, some heard it then, while some had heard rumors about it earlier in the day. Around 6 a.m., fan message boards were starting to see a post pop up, that claimed it had happened. Most didn't want to believe it. Some even thought it was a disgusting prank. Then the message was sent with a link. Kwane was gone, he was really gone, how could it have happened, many felt. Not until seeing video, pictures, and hearing his family members and teammates speak, did it really set in with most people. Tragedy was not only here, it was very painful as well.

Television news crews and reporters would surround the Doster home, as well as come on the Vanderbilt campus, looking for reaction. Anyone watching Kwane's mother, Kelly, could not possibly have held back a tear. Seeing her living room for the first time, you saw pictures of Kwane all over the walls. Various pictures from either his football action at Vanderbilt or regular campus pictures. Various awards and certificates. She was obviously so proud of her young son for what he had done in his life. It was devastating to see the look in her eyes.

As well to see his friends, like Erik Davis, up on a podium, trying to talk about his friend, looking like someone had just taken the breath out of his chest. Hearing Clark Lea talking about his fallen teammate..hearing his roommates speak like friend Mario Moore, it was just such a time of remorse and tragedy, that many at the university had never seen.

Not all of his teammates were in Nashville when the news broke. Most, had done what Kwane did, and went home for the break to be with their families. Though finding the news out from various sources, when it came time to get everyone together, emotions were sown, and reflections brought tears.

"I was not fortunate enough to be a close friend of Kwane during his career, but I was his teammate above all, and we went through a lot of the same struggles associated with being a Vanderbilt Football player," says former teammate Kenan Arkan. "I was in Germany with my family, visiting my brother when I heard about Kwane's death from espn.com. I can still remember reading the headline, bursting out in tears, and struggling to catch my next breath."

"I still get tears in my eyes just thinking about what a life-changing moment that was for everyone associated with Vanderbilt Football," says Arkan. "I immediately got on the phone and spoke with my roommate Clark Lea, Jay Cutler, Ryan King, and Coach Robbie Caldwell among others. I made plans to get back to Nashville ASAP, and skip the rest of my trip, I knew that was where I belonged, and I knew that everyone else on the team agreed."

"When we finally all got together there was just a huge outpouring of emotion as everyone expressed their feelings and tried to understand what had happened," says Arkan. "I know I will never understand this tragedy. Jovan Haye was very vocal in expressing that Kwane was in a better place and would not ever have to deal with a world where something like this happens again."

The Vanderbilt team, adminstrators, faculty members, and supporters would fly down to Tampa to attend Doster's funeral. Many of his teammates would now act as pallbearers at the service, carrying the casket of their fallen friend. Emotions ran deep, and Kwane's Vanderbilt community mixed with his Tampa community in their loss, showing just how powerful a mark he left on the two seperate worlds in his life. And as his body was taken away to his final resting place, all of his friend, teammates, and relatives rose their hands and extended one figure to signify where he was in their hearts.

Back at Vanderbilt, students were starting to comeback to campus, some just learning what had happened to their former classmate. Vanderbilt officials decided to hold an additional Memorial Service for Kwane so everyone could would be able to heal as one.

Several attended, and it was very emotional, as tears, laughter from memories of old times by Kwane's friends and teammate, and reflections, were shared by the Vanderbilt student body and faculty.

There was much sadness, but also much support from everyone, in honoring Kwane, and remembering him. There was a very spirited and emotional game against Dayton right after the tragedy, as well as a nationally televised men's basketball game against Alabama, where everyone was wearing Kwane black bands, posters remembering "Dot", and the Vanderbilt basketball team, who were great friends with Kwane, put "Dot" on their sneakers in honor of their fallen friend.

The Doster family was on hand for a special ceremony for Kwane a couple of weeks later, when the men's basketball team took on the Florida Gators. There was a special video tribute as well as some honors in the young man's name.

With the support of the university and many others, the parents of three of Kwane's teammates, formed the The Kwane Doster Memorial Fund in order to help out the Doster family in their funeral costs and hospital expenses due to the senseless tragedy. Former Vanderbilt football and basketball standout Rod Freeman (father of Richard Freeman), Tom Bright(father of Steven Bright) and Rick Joyce (father of Kevin Joyce) wanted to make sure that Kelly Doster and her family did not have to deal with any financial burdens on top of having to deal with the tragedy.

"I know I speak for my husband, Rick, in saying that it was an honor for us to help the Doster family during their time of need," says Deb Joyce, wife of Rick, and mother of Kevin. "It was the least we could do..It was family."

"Kwane was a winner and was so proud to be a Commodore," says Mrs.Joyce. "As a way of honoring him, I hope Kevin and his teammates adopt Kwane's work ethic, his will to achieve, his quiet strength and dignity. And offer up every tackle, touchdown, pass, catch, kick and WIN to their teammate who gave his all to be a Commodore. NOTHING would please their buddy more."

Nationally, there was a ground swell of support for Doster's family, the Vanderbilt team, and even just Vanderbilt in general for the tragedy. Numerous community leaders, fellow football players, coaches, organizations, and even common fans of other teams offered their condolences and support to those coping with Kwane's loss.

Eight months have now passed. The 2004-2005 school year came to a close, and for the Vanderbilt football team, they have gone through spring practice, summer workout sessions, and now are in fall practice for the 2005-2006 year, getting ready to play what would've been Kwane's senior season as a Commodore.

The Vanderbilt football team wishes to honor their fallen teammate, but not with public slogans or rallying cries. No, they'd rather just go out there and put his spirit into what they do. They'd rather honor him by being his teammate, cause they know he's right there with them on the field, in the weight room, walking to class.

No one will wear Kwane's #1 jersey this season, and no one might ever wear it again, though Kwane's name is listed on the school's official roster. Through the desire of helping the Doster family during their tragedy, Kwane Memorial spirit bracelets were sold so the procedes could go towards the fund. On the bracelets, reads "Always A Dore #1". In Vanderbilt football now, the #1 jersey will forever be known as Kwane's jersey.

So the football team will not physically have their would've been senior buddy along side them as they take the field on September 1st. And Ms.Doster and her family will not have their precious son with them this coming Christmas, but they do know that his spirit will remain. He is still with all of them, all of us.

Kwane Rashid Doster will always be #1 to us, forever.

A personal word from the writer of this series:

I hope that this series has been beneficial to all that read them. I, personally wanted to do something, anything that would pay tribute and reflect on the life and spirit of Kwane. His death hit me hard, but only because of how much I enjoyed what little I knew of his life. For three years, I sat in the stands, yelling "Go Kwane!" when he would breakout on a run. For three years, I would line the Star Walk with fellow Vanderbilt fans and cheer for the team, letting them know that their efforts never go in vain to me. "Dot" was someone I never knew, but as a fan, cared for him like he was a part of my family.

When he passed, I went to McGugin Center, and placed a single candle in a black cage at the top of the Star Walk, just underneath the tree that overlooks it. On that cold, windy, and somber night after his death, I sat for a minute, and said my goodbyes. As I looked up, I looked at the Vanderbilt Stadium, watching the Alabama Crimson Tide football team go back and forth into their buses. See they were there practicing on Vandy's field, for their first bowl game since they were put on probation. Because of that, they were together as a team, away from the insane and cruel world in which Kwane went into just days before. And for the first time in my life, instead of wishing selfishly that Vanderbilt had gone to a bowl game, I just wished that Kwane was going to a bowl game, no matter who it was with, just so maybe this wouldn't have happened. I hope that Jovan Haye was right, and Kwane is in a better place now.