ORADELL, N.J. _ After performing in a play about a gay college student in Wyoming who was beaten to death, Andrew Van Buskirk became teary-eyed as he recalled someone who came to his defense when he was bullied.

That person was Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old Rutgers student who ended his life in September 2010, days after his roommate used a webcam to watch him kissing another man. The roommate, Dharun Ravi, was convicted of hate crimes related to the spying events and is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday.

"He was just the nicest, sweetest person, and he was always right there for me whenever I was being bullied," Van Buskirk, 20, said of Clementi in recalling his elementary school days in Ridgewood, N.J. "So I knew that it was important for me to do something like this to stand up for what I believe in so wholeheartedly."

Van Buskirk participated in a brief, post-production discussion Thursday night about hate crimes and bullying that included Clementi's parents. He said he later reintroduced himself to Joseph and Jane Clementi.

After watching "The Laramie Project," which tells the story of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student who was abducted, tied to a fence post, tortured and left to die, the Clementis told the group they were moved by some of the similarities.

Eight actors with the Bergen County Players portrayed more than 60 characters in the play that sheds light on how people in Laramie responded to the 1998 attack on Shepard, who was targeted because he was gay. The play has been performed around the world since its 2000 premiere.

"While the circumstances were different in other cases, the effect was the same," said Joseph Clementi, who apologized at one point for losing his train of thought because he felt the performance was so powerful.

The Clementis declined to discuss Ravi's upcoming sentencing or the trial that occurred earlier this year.

But they spoke about establishing the Tyler Clementi Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises awareness about cyber-bullying, teenage suicide and promotes acceptance of LGBT teens. A portion of the proceeds from upcoming weekend performances of the play will go to the foundation.

Joseph Clementi said the foundation was created to honor Tyler's memory and ensure "no other parent feels the kind of pain we felt."

"Losing a child is the worst pain a parent can have," he said.

He also encouraged people to stop bullying.

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