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Sources: Student behind 'laser cat' yearbook photo takes own life
February 21, 2015
Updated 9:35 a.m.
By Ned Campbell (Contact)
Gazette Reporter  


SCHENECTADY — Schenectady High School senior Draven Rodriguez, whose fearless creativity earned him international fame last year, took his own life Thursday evening, according to multiple authorities familiar with his death.

Rodriguez, the teenager responsible for the laser-cat yearbook photo that became an Internet sensation in the fall, committed suicide in his home, authorities said. He was 17.

Rodriguez’ mother, Melissa Petersen, and step-father, Jonathan Stewart, gathered with family at the residence on Friday. They declined to be interviewed by a Gazette reporter.

Schenectady City School District spokeswoman Karen Corona declined to comment.

The humble and well-liked Rodriguez was featured by media outlets such as Huffington Post, BuzzFeed and USA Today — and was even mentioned on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon — after he petitioned to have his senior yearbook photo feature himself and his cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, over a backdrop of lasers. The picture, taken by Vincent Giordano, featured a smiling Rodriguez clutching Mr. Bigglesworth and, behind them, bright lasers and a faded image of the cat’s face looking off into the distance. He first posted the image on his Instagram page.

“I don’t want to go in the yearbook with the generic ‘I-look-like-everyone-else’ photo,” he told The Daily Gazette in early September after the photo went viral. “I wanted a ‘He looks great. Only he would try that’ photo.”

“When people look at it,” he added, “they will know that was me.”

Schenectady High School student Draven Rodriguez wanted to use this photograph with his cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, for his senior portrait. (Photo: Vincent Giordano/Trinacria Photography)

The school district never agreed to let the photo share space in the yearbook among the more uniform senior portraits, but Rodriguez was able to reach a compromise with High School Principal Diane Wilkinson. She agreed to pose in another photo of the same style with Rodriguez, Mr. Bigglesworth and her dog, also taken by Giordano. The picture, they agreed, would go on the principal’s page accompanied by a message promoting animal rescue and adoption. Their efforts to raise awareness were later recognized by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Animal Protective Foundation of Schenectady.

Rodriguez’ creativity and love for his cat also earned him local recognition at the inaugural Capital Region Feline Film & Video Festival for Humans in October. Petersen, who accompanied her son to the festival at Spectrum 8 Theatres in Albany, said at the time she was proud of him for standing up for what he believed in and being willing to compromise.

“He never meant for it to blow up like this — it was just supposed to be a fun senior picture,” she said.

Rodriguez expressed pride in winning the award, called The Right Here, Right Meow Award for Current Achievement in Cat Excellence, which came with a gold-colored kitty litter scooper. He wore a button-down shirt and a polka-dot tie to the festival where a sold-out crowd of 186 cat-lovers gathered.

“I try to have a big sense of community, so doing things that are locally based means a lot to me,” he said then, less than a week before his 17th birthday.

Rodriguez was involved in the community in other ways, and had worked closely with Mike Feurstein, founder of the How to UnMake a Bully program. Last week, Rodriguez posted a “selfie” on Instagram of him and Feurstein. The caption read: “Had an awesome time working with the kids in Amsterdam and I’m excited to work with them next year.”

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Guess having his cat in the yearbook photo wasn't good enough, so he went for the full page spread.

Quoted from rpforpres

OMG I cannot believe you posted something so insensitive.  

So sad that he didn't feel life was worth living, and only 17  

My heart and thoughts with his family and friends. May he RIP .

Quoted from visitor

buck strider comments =  classless and disgusting

Quoted from JackBauer

We, being older, benefit from wisdom, and a far more developed mind more readily able to handle the stresses and anxieties of life...  One of the peak times being during high school.

While suicide is stupid to most who are psychologically sound, someone that young does not have all the tools to deal with life.

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Unforgiven Lyrics
New blood joins this earth
And quickly he's subdued
Through constant pain disgrace
The young boy learns their rules
With time the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man struggles on and on he's known
A vow unto his own
That never from this day
His will they'll take away

What I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never be
Never see
Won't see what might have been
What I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

They dedicate their lives
To running all of his
He tries to please them all
This bitter man he is
Throughout his life the same
He's battled constantly
This fight he cannot win
A tired man they see no longer cares
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me

What I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never be
Never see
Won't see what might have been
What I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

What I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never be
Never see
Won't see what might have been
What I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

You labeled me
I labeled you
So I dub thee unforgiven

Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

You labeled me
I labeled you
So I dub thee unforgiven

Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven