University of Indianapolis swim team honors Parkland shooting victim

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – One year after the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history, a local college swim team is honoring one of the victims killed in Parkland, Florida. 

The University of Indianapolis Swim and Diving team honored Nick Dworet at practice Thursday. 

Dworet was one of 17 people killed in that school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018.

The 17-year-old was set to swim for University of Indianapolis but never made it. 

“We all wish he was here,” said junior swimmer T.J. LeSeure.

“He was fun, light-hearted and positive, which is what we kind of felt Nick was,” said head coach Jason Hite. 

What would have been Dworet’s swim cap and his favorite snack, Oreos, were laid out on a table with a plaque in his name, next to the pool where he was supposed to swim. 

The team has worn “Swim 4 Nick” caps all season, in honor of a fun-loving driven teammate they say had a bright future. 

“I think that by his senior year, he would have potentially been a captain for the men’s team, just because he had that attitude,” said LeSeure.

Dworet had visited University of Indianapolis in January of last year for his recruiting trip.

He was only in town for about 48 hours, but his memory made a lasting impact. 

“Memories of this, they hit me hard. I want our current student athletes to realize every moment does matter. Make the most of it. Be goal driven and just have fun with life. That’s what we try to take from something like this,” said Hite.  

For a sport where time is never on their side, the team says Dworet will forever be in their hearts. 

“We all wish he was here. But I think this is the best way for us to reflect on how different our team would have been with him and what kind of relationships we would have had and what could have been,” said LeSeure.