“LAUGH LIKE COLE, LOVE LIKE COLE, LIVE LIKE COLE”: 6-YEAR-OLD BOY LAID TO REST AS KANSAS COMMUNITY MOURNS
“LAUGH LIKE COLE, LOVE LIKE COLE, LIVE LIKE COLE”: 6-YEAR-OLD BOY LAID TO REST AS KANSAS COMMUNITY MOURNS
Family, classmates and community members gathered to remember Cole Adrian, the young soccer player whose life was cut short in the October 17 tragedy at Wichita’s Stryker Sports Complex.
A Kansas community came together on Monday, October 26, to say goodbye to six-year-old Cole Adrian, remembering a young boy whose life brought joy to those around him.
Cole’s funeral was held at McPherson Free Methodist Church, where family members, friends, schoolmates and community members gathered to honor his memory and support his grieving loved ones. A private graveside service followed.
Cole was a kindergarten student at Roosevelt Elementary School in McPherson. The family invited mourners to wear soccer jerseys, blue clothing or camouflage — some of the things the little boy loved — as a personal tribute to his life.
A TRAGEDY THAT SHOOK THE COMMUNITY
Cole was one of two people killed when a Chevrolet pickup truck drove onto soccer fields at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita on October 17.
The crash also claimed the life of 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer and left 10 other people injured, including children and adults.
According to the Wichita Police Department, the incident happened at approximately 3:25 p.m. as soccer activities were underway. Investigators have continued examining the circumstances surrounding the crash.
SCHOOLS CLOSE SO THE COMMUNITY CAN SAY GOODBYE
McPherson Public Schools closed on Monday to allow students, teachers and staff to attend Cole’s funeral and support one another during the difficult day.
The decision reflected the impact of the loss on the school community, where Cole was known as a young student with a whole life ahead of him.
The large turnout at the church and the arrangements for overflow seating reflected how many people wanted to be there for Cole’s family.
A MESSAGE THAT WILL LIVE ON
One message has become a meaningful way for the community to remember the little boy: “Laugh Like Cole, Love Like Cole, Live Like Cole.”
The words capture a simple but powerful wish — that the happiness Cole brought into the world will continue through the people who knew and loved him.
As his family begins life without him, the support of classmates, neighbors and the wider soccer community offers a reminder that they do not have to carry their grief alone.
Cole was only six years old. His life was far too short, but the love surrounding him was clear in the people who gathered to honor him.
May his family find comfort in the memories they shared and in a community determined to keep his light alive. 🕊️
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