BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – José Bautista, a 19-year-old engineering student at Virginia Tech, died Saturday, April 19, following a car accident in Beckley.
Originally from Chesterfield, Virginia, Bautista was a first-year student in the College of Engineering.
He was also a member of the Galileo living-learning community in Pritchard Hall, which is known for promoting academic success and fostering a close-knit environment among engineering students.
In a statement, Bautista’s family expressed deep gratitude for the support shown by the university community.
“José was an incredible child — kind, respectful, and loving, as all his friends and family describe him,” the family said. “We were blessed to have him for 19 years and will miss him dearly. We can never express enough how extraordinary our son was. Thank you for all your prayers and displays of affection for José.”
Virginia Tech officials acknowledged the difficulty of losing a member of the Hokie community and emphasized that support is available to students and staff affected by Bautista’s passing.
