Waldo the Wildcat was the overused and underappreciated mascot of Weber State University for longer than most of its students have been alive.

Waldo had witnessed many great presidents come into term over the years he spent at the university, waiting and watching as president after president does good by the students they’re meant to represent.

That was until President Brad Mortensen came into office as the 13th president in 2019, and with that choice, the university began to change. Most of the changes were seen as necessary, something the students and staff could understand, until Mortensen spoke out about the feathered friends that use the pond as their home.

“He said he hated the geese, once,” a bystander said. “I lost all respect for him then and there. The geese are associated with this college; how could he hate them?”

Waldo, who was known for his lively and fun personality and who had become a staple across the university and well-liked by everyone, started paying more attention to the president after that, and then decided to take it into his own hands.

Waldo spoke out against the president, saying Mortensen’s hatred for the geese is the reason to elect a new president to the university.

Students and staff agreed with him, and soon, Waldo’s message started spreading, and more students and staff paid attention. A flyer was distributed around campus grounds, demanding that Mortensen be held accountable for his transgressions toward the beloved geese.

Riots erupted across the campus on the night of March 24, with students and faculty members dressed in various shades of purple in support of Waldo, flooding the walkways and streets between buildings while calling for amends to be made.

Mortensen, who was seeking refuge in his office in the Miller Administration Building, watched as purple flooded the streets, from Lindquist Hall all the way up to Stewart Stadium. The sheer amount of people caused roadblocks and delays to be made across campus, with many of the streets being swarmed to the point that vehicles were getting stuck.

The WSU Police Department’s vehicles were all spray-painted in neon purple. Chief of Police Seth Cawley’s vehicle was glitterbombed in protest, along with the University’s personal vehicles.

Mortensen, with the help of WSUPD, managed to leave his office and get to Ada Lindquist Plaza, the home of the geese, where Waldo was giving a speech about better treatment toward them.

“It was madness,” another bystander said. “I’ve never seen that many people on campus at once. Everyone was cheering, everyone was clapping for Waldo. They all believed in him. It just got worse when the president came to talk.”

Mortensen, who had originally been trying to come to Ada Lindquist Plaza to approach a deal with Waldo, had become enraged and pushed Waldo into the pond.

Waldo, who hit his head on the way down, tragically sank and couldn’t be recovered.

Waldo the Wildcat was officially declared dead at 3:25 a.m. on March 25.

Mortensen did not face charges that night, and his reign over Weber State University is still active. Students and staff were discouraged from speaking about Waldo the Wildcat again, but his legacy remains every time someone heads to the pond to watch the geese.