‘Jenna Burleigh was a free spirit, open with everyone and always there for me’
A close friend of Jenna pays tribute to her memory
One of Jenna Burleigh‘s closest friends has spoken out to say how much he will miss her.
Temple senior Davis Trinh, who knew Jenna since grade school, told The Tab in an exclusive interview how she was always there for him when they were growing up.
Jenna had just started her first year at Temple before her death was reported this weekend. She was 22.
I first met Jenna in the 6th or 7th grade. Her sister Janelle was friends with my sister Elizabeth. One night we played a neighborhood man hunt with Liz and Janelle, Jenna’s friend and my friends. Ever since that night we became friends. We rode and sat next to each other on the bus together almost every day until I got my license. Jenna was a free spirit. She was so open with everyone and didn’t care who you were or your past. As long as you treated her and everyone right, she was cool with you.
Jenna was always there for me. When I had relationship problems she was there, when I needed help with a film or photography project she would be the first one to volunteer. She was an extremely helpful person. I think people will miss her personality the most. She made you feel welcome. And she learned that very well from her family. Her family has a very welcoming home and not having Jenna around is going to need adjustment.
There was so many favorite memories with Jenna. Right now, the best memory was in high school. It was my senior year and her junior year. She first got her learner’s permit and was trying to get more experience on the road. I lived across the street from her so I would pick her up to go to school and take her back. But when I picked her and I switched seats and she actually drove herself back home. We did this everyday for the rest of my senior year. And we would always play our favorite song: Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard, every time with the windows down.
Jenna was a very close friend to me. I wasn’t one of her hometown homies but I was her neighbor. I’ve known her and her family for many years and a lot of people knew that. I was her friend who she just hung out with.
She was extremely happy to go to Temple. When she had her first day class. I was “her first friend she saw on campus.” Those were the exact words that came out of her mouth.