18-year-old Fil-Am dancer dies after doing backflip

WACO, Texas — An 18-year-old Fil-Am freshman at Baylor University died last Sunday following a freak accident while doing a backflip and fatally landing on his head. Kevin Signo, a pre-biology student from Frisco, Texas (north of Dallas), was rehearsing traditional Filipino dances with fellow members of the university’s Filipino Students Association at the campus’ Marrs McLean Gym last Saturday night when, during a break, he practiced a backflip, according to news reports. The Waco Tribune-Herald quoted a justice of the peace as saying Signo hit his forehead and suffered a fatal spinal injury when he broke his neck. He was reportedly taken by ambulance to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center shortly before 8:30 p.m. Saturday and was pronounced dead about 4 a.m. last Sunday. His parents, Henry and Jackie Signo, said their son was an introvert in high school but thrived at Baylor. He would have had his 19th birthday this month. “Kevin was a very bright, well-liked and involved student on our campus,” Baylor spokeswoman Lori Fogleman told the Tribune-Herald. “He had so many friends here who will miss him terribly.” Signo’s parents said their son wanted to be a doctor. He was an organ donor who had a legal document drawn up, donating his eyes, skin, bones and organs. “He knew exactly what could be used for and what was important,” Jackie Signo said. Henry Signo said he thinks his son “knew that he would be helping others if something tragic had happened.” “We’re very happy to have had him for a short time,” he said. Funeral services was on March 9 at the Turrentine, Jackson & Morrow Funeral Home in Allen. His parents said they plan to endow a scholarship in his name at Baylor. - Filipino Reporter