Today we celebrate the 21st birthday of Wayde Sims.

Wayde was tragically taken from us earlier this year, but his spirit will continue to live within all of us. We will never forget his competitive fire; his love of family, friends and LSU; and his contributions as a member of the LSU basketball team.

We also remember his very special bond with Buddha, also known as Wayde's
"4-legged son." Buddha became his emotional support dog.

The family of Wayde Sims has created the Wayde Forever 44 Fund, which is an emotional support dog fund for students at LSU. They invite you to join them in helping students at LSU and making Wayde’s legacy a reality.
Students often experience high levels of stress and anxiety. The pressures of making good grades and being a high-performing student can take a toll on the emotional well-being of students.

For Wayde Sims, Budda was a high school graduation gift. Wayde didn’t realize then how Buddha would become such an important source of comfort and support for him. Living with, caring for and interacting daily with Buddha became a crucial part of Wayde’s adjustment to college life and managing the demands of school and Division 1 athletics.

The two became inseparable. Wayde was often challenged with the potential separation from Buddha due to housing restrictions, and this was a big source of anxiety for him. Wayde's mother, Fay Sims, shared, "The bond between Wayde and Buddha was so strong, I believe he would have lived under the overpass before giving up Buddha.” 

With the guidance of counselors at LSU, Wayde was able to register Buddha as his emotional support dog and have Buddha live with him on campus.
The path to register emotional support animals can be difficult and expensive. Application fees, hidden costs, deposits at living facilities, boarding when students need to travel and more can be unexpected barriers for students seeking to register their dog as an emotional support animal.

The Wayde Forever 44 Emotional Support Dog Fund will help current and future students to overcome these barriers and help supplement financial responsibilities that come with owning an emotional support dog.
In memory of the special bond between Wayde Sims and Buddha, and to assist students at LSU with the associated costs of owning an emotional support dog, Wayde's family and the LSU SVM are launching the Wayde Forever 44 Emotional Support Dog Fund.

Your donations will help establish this fund and bring immediate help to LSU students with a demonstrated need for an emotional support animal. The fund will work in conjunction with the LSU Office of Student Affairs to identify and help students who would benefit from this unique form of emotional health and support.

If you would like to join us as we launch this innovative program, click the link below to be one of the first to donate to this special cause. Wayde Sims, like all of our students at LSU, made great sacrifices to represent the school he loved and the state he called home. His beloved son Buddha loved and supported Wayde throughout his journey.

We hope you will consider donating to this special fund and honor the memory of Wayde Sims on his 21st birthday.
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