{"id":165491,"date":"2026-04-14T15:23:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T15:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/165491\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T15:23:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T15:23:07","slug":"tre-tipton-spreads-the-l-o-v-e-with-fraternity-sorority-life-members-in-greek-week-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/165491\/","title":{"rendered":"Tre Tipton spreads the L.O.V.E. with Fraternity-Sorority Life members in Greek Week event"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Pitt football player and life coach Tre Tipton<\/a> shared his story about mental health with members of Fraternity-Sorority Life <\/a>on April 8 in David Lawrence Hall.<\/p>\n

Tipton\u2019s speech was a part of Greek Week<\/a> \u2014 a week-long event for members of the FSL community to give back to good causes. The week also prioritizes mental health, hosting events like Tipton\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tipton may have been a student-athlete on the football team at Pitt, but he related to the audience members on a student level first.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in your seats with a smile on my face, and I wore the best mask you would ever see,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cThe one who you see that smiles the most, make sure you check up on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tipton went through the unthinkable at a young age. He lost friends, mentors, parents and other family members\u00a0 \u2014 both suddenly and slowly \u2014 from sickness, addiction and violence. To begin his talk, Tipton compared his life story to a glass bottle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen things keep pouring, it overflows,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cWhat if it gets too heavy when you keep stacking it and it drops? It breaks, and it\u2019s not easy to put back together. So, here\u2019s how I shattered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tipton emphasized his anxieties regarding the safety of his family and friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI believed everybody that I loved or got way too close to would die,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cIf I told you I loved you, I was scared that I was cursed and you would die on me. There\u2019s no proof behind that, but I felt that way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tipton continued to experience the pain of losing people, and in time began to \u201cflirt\u201d with ideas of danger and death.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started to flirt with different things,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cSelling drugs, playing with guns a little bit here and there, to the point where my cousin and closest friend lost his life. That was when I knew I needed to switch my path, because I didn\u2019t want my mom showing up to my funeral.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite hardships growing up, Tipton received a merit scholarship and was invited to play football at Pitt following a successful high school sports career. Things began to look up until reality set in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got here to Pitt as a freshman and realized I\u2019m no longer the big fish in a small pond,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cNow, I\u2019m going to the ocean, and there\u2019s a whole lot of sharks out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a student-athlete at Pitt, Tipton was introduced to new challenges. Tipton struggled to maintain physical fitness and academics while dealing with mental fatigue from fighting his own battles off the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach Narduzzi made us do crazy stuff,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cWe had a 5 o\u2019clock wake up everyday, 6 o\u2019clock film, 7 o\u2019clock eat, and if not, punishment. Then I go to class, and I\u2019m chilling and sleeping in the back. So, yes, the two most difficult things in the world for me were going to practice and going to class. Although, I was going through this environment all while dealing with [mental health struggles].\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout his mental health journey from youth to adulthood, Tipton wanted to make an impact by speaking about new ways to find positivity every day and, in turn, became the co-owner and CEO of L.O.V.E.<\/a> \u2014 merchandise designed to remind wearers to love both themselves and others.<\/p>\n

\u201cL.O.V.E. stands for Living Out Victoriously Everyday, so I want you to find a small victory in your life someway, somehow,\u201d Tipton said in an interview with The Pitt News. \u201cIf it\u2019s something small, take it in. If it\u2019s something big, take it in. If it\u2019s mediocre, take it in, because every day is to be a win. Find a win today, that\u2019s the ultimate goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tipton wore L.O.V.E. merchandise during his Greek Week speech, including a hat and t-shirt that read \u201cLove.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conrad Gargani, a sophomore electrical engineering major and brother of Triangle Fraternity, noticed Tipton\u2019s outfit and wondered if it was intentionally related to the theme of his talk.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized that it relates directly to the central theme of his messaging. Having self compassion for oneself, even when faced with challenges, adversity and failures \u2014 it doesn\u2019t reflect poorly on yourself,\u201d Gargani said. \u201cYou need to continue to try and reach your goals, not let the failure be a source of self-hatred that you imply onto yourself that stops you from reaching your goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Victoria Earhart, a first-year with an undeclared major and sister of Delta Phi Epsilon, enjoyed Tipton\u2019s talk, as it resonated with her on a personal level.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis talk felt very personal and felt like anyone could relate, even if they\u2019ve never been through certain things or done what he\u2019s done,\u201d Earhart said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tipton finished his talk with an exercise. First, Tipton asked the crowd to close their eyes, picture their biggest dream and realize what is stopping them from achieving it. Then, after saying that thing out loud, the crowd chanted, \u201cYou don\u2019t own me.\u201d Finally, Tipton told the audience to picture their younger selves and tell them, \u201cI got your back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tipton encouraged the loudest attendee to join him in the final chant.<\/p>\n

The fraternity member roared, \u201cWho\u2019s got my back?\u201d three times as the crowd roared in return, \u201cI got your back!\u201d<\/p>\n