A Remarkable Young Man: Holmdel Mourns Athlete Killed In New Orleans

HOLMDEL, NJ — The Holmdel community is coming together to mourn the loss of a former star lacrosse player who was killed Wednesday morning when a driver plowed through a crowd in New Orleans.

Billy DiMaio, 25, was identified as one of 14 people killed when a U.S. Army Veteran drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s Day revelers on Bourbon Street.

DiMaio was an account executive with Audacy Inc. and a former lacrosse player at Holmdel High School. According to a report from Nola, he was visiting New Orleans to celebrate the new year and hang out with friends attending the Sugar Bowl.

“Our lacrosse community has suffered an unimaginable loss,” Holmdel High School Boys Lacrosse said in a statement posted on Facebook. “Billy was a remarkable young man on and off the field. All of us in the Holmdel community are devastated by this sad news. Please keep the DiMaio family in your thoughts and prayers.”

After DiMaio graduated from high school, he attended Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, where he would go on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration & Management and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership.

DiMaio continued his lacrosse career at Chestnut Hill, playing as a Griffin from 2018-2022 and recording one assist, 27 groundballs and eight caused turnovers in his freshman season.

“Billy is the ‘juice’ for our team,” Head Coach Mike Terranova said during the team’s 2021 season. “While he is a great player, he affects our team even more so with his enthusiasm and energy…he has been his teammates' biggest supporter.”

During DiMaio’s sophomore year, he received All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Second Team honors at the short-stick defensive midfielder position, and in his 2022 season, he served as team captain for the championship lacrosse team.

“We are devastated by news of the passing of our alumnus Billy DiMaio ‘22,” Chestnut Hill College Lacrosse said in a statement posted on Instagram. “Billy was a leader within our community who shined not only as a star student in the classroom, but also as a top athlete, serving as a captain on our 2022 Championship Lacrosse team.”

“Our prayers are with the entire DiMaio family at this tragic hour,” the statement continued. “As our entire college reflects upon the positive impact he had upon so many in our close community.”

A former Princeton University football star was also among those killed in the New Year’s Day attack. Martin “Tiger” Bech, 27, played for the Princeton Tigers from 2016-2018.

Bob Surace, the head coach of Princeton Football, described Bech as “a ‘Tiger’ in every way.”

"There was no more appropriate nickname of a Princeton player I coached," Surace said. "He was a 'Tiger' in every way — a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend.”

In addition to the 14 people killed in the New Year’s Day attack, 35 people were also injured, according to authorities.

The driver involved in the incident, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was accused of driving a rented Ford F-150 pickup truck through the crowd before crashing it and shooting at officers. The officers shot back and hit Jabbar, who was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Governor Phil Murphy described Jabbar as a “cowardly terrorist,” and mourned the loss of DiMaio in a statement posted on social media.

“Billy DiMaio was a 25-year-old account executive and a former standout lacrosse player at Holmdel High School whose life was cut short by a cowardly terrorist on New Year’s Day,” Murphy said. “A devastating loss. Please keep his family and friends in your prayers.”

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