With profound sorrow, the Texas A&M University community mourns the loss of students Blake Dorman ’24 and Zaiyan Xu ’28. Their untimely passing has left a deep impact on family, friends, classmates, and the university, as the Aggie spirit remembers two bright young lives taken too soon.
Blake and Zaiyan were more than students; they were valued members of the Aggie family, known for their dedication, passion, and integrity. At Texas A&M, they pursued their studies with determination and curiosity, leaving an impression of ambition, kindness, and a commitment to excellence that will be remembered by peers and faculty alike.
The university honors their memory through time-honored traditions like Silver Taps, held in their honor. Before each ceremony, their names are displayed at two locations in Academic Plaza: on the base of the flagpole and on the Silver Taps sculpture, which features an Aggie Band bugle resting atop a flag. These markers ensure that Blake and Zaiyan are remembered as part of the heart of the campus, where their legacy continues to inspire and guide the Aggie community.
Blake and Zaiyan’s families, friends, and fellow students remember them for their warmth, integrity, and the joy they brought into every interaction. Their spirit, friendship, and contributions to the community leave a lasting imprint, and their memory will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew them.
As the Aggie family comes together in grief, they also come together to celebrate the lives and legacies of these two young men. The Spirit Plaza, home to the Silver Taps sculpture and other markers, stands as a testament to remembrance and the enduring traditions that honor Aggies who have passed, ensuring that Blake Dorman and Zaiyan Xu will never be forgotten.
May Blake Dorman ’24 and Zaiyan Xu ’28 rest in peace. They will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always cherished by the Texas A&M community and all whose lives they touched.
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