Death of courteous, gentle student still unknown

On March 4 around 7:15 p.m., Corey Rhodes’ girlfriend found him in his apartment and was unable to wake him, alerting others that something was wrong.
Corey was pronounced dead later that evening.
While the cause of Corey’s death has not yet been determined, an autopsy eliminated any “foul play” as a factor according to the coroner’s office. Results from a toxicology report, which will determine if any legal or illegal drugs caused Corey’s death, will soon be available. No specific date has been given.
“He was a healthy 19-year-old with no diseases, no gun shots, no scratches and scars. We did not have any evidence that drug use was involved in this death,” said Southern University Chief of Police Michael Morris.
Before he died last Tuesday, Corey had the chance to experience a first: he attended an NBA game. For the 19-year old aspiring sports commentator, it was an opportunity he was grateful for.
“We went to the Hornets and Lakers game in New Orleans in January. We talked all the way there. Corey said to me, ‘I want to thank you,’ and I said for what, and he said ‘This is my first NBA game and I appreciate it’,” Phillip Wallace, Rhodes’ best friend, recalled.
Corey and Wallace met during their sophomore year at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge. Wallace said he had to introduce himself to Corey. According to Wallace, their first encounter was indicative of how Rhodes tended to interact with others.
“He is real timid at first, but after you meet him, he’s outgoing,” said Wallace adding “When we first met, our personalities just clicked.”
Corey was a thoughtful individual who was so concerned with how others felt that he would mask his own emotions, primarily because “he did not want people to worry about him,” said Wallace.
Born on August 20, 1988 to Thomas and Cynthia Rhodes, Corey was an athlete as a child who enjoyed playing football and kept the family laughing. His mother said her Corey expressed an understanding of his Christian faith even as child when he watched his brother, Sean, suffer from allergies during a visit to his aunt’s house.
“When Corey was five years old, he spent the weekend with his aunt and really had a love for the Lord. Corey said to her, ‘Aunt Mary, we need to go in there and pray for Sean and he will be okay’,” said Cynthia.
The next morning, Sean was better. According to Rhodes it is those moments that bless her.
Rhodes said she was always amazed at the sport’s statistics that Corey knew. He was “a wiz at the kind of thing,” she added. Although Corey demonstrated a passion for sports, he was just as interested in politics. His family was shocked at his desire to be a sports journalist.
“He was very political-minded. We really thought he would be an attorney,” said Cynthia.
Jackie Rhine, a junior psychology major from Jeanerette and Corey’s roommate, said while the sophomore mass communications major was seemingly quiet at first, he often debated people about sports and politics.
“He would say a wild opinion about sports that I didn’t agree with, and we would start debating. Some of the opinions he would voice, I’d think ‘Okay Corey, it’s not that serious’,” said Rhine.
Jason McCraney, a senior criminal justice major from Columbus, Ohio, who also lived with Rhodes this semester, said the sports and politics fanatic always won the debates.
“He was real smart. He was very energetic, opinionated and kind. The way he talked to people-he was respectful to everybody,” said McCraney.
McCraney said he will most remember Rhodes’ courteous nature.
On a typical day, Corey attended class, played video games, worked at his internship with Louisiana Public Broadcasting and spent time with his girlfriend Meagan Smith, a Louisiana State University sophomore from Prairieville.
When Smith met Corey during summer school in 2006, she noticed his genuine personality and the smile he always had on his face.
“Corey was a very nice, outgoing guy. He always asked you what was wrong-he never had a bad day,” said Smith.
“And he loved the Jaguar Nation with all of his heart,” said Smith.
Meanwhile, Corey’s best friend wants people to know that “Corey had a good life.”
“His parents are good people. His parents raised them (Corey and his brother, Sean) outstanding. He was a gentleman,” said Wallace.

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Brittany Thornton / Digest

Kerney Laday, President and CEO of The Laday Company was the guess speaker for Southerns' Founder's Day Convocation. Mr. Laday mention how many of his accomplishments in life was giving by his education he received from Southern University.