“LAUGH LIKE COLE, LOVE LIKE COLE, LIVE LIKE COLE”: 6-YEAR-OLD COLE ADRIAN LAID TO REST AFTER TRAGIC WICHITA CRASH

A Kansas community gathered to remember the young boy whose life was cut short when a pickup truck struck people at a soccer complex. Family, classmates and friends honored Cole Adrian with a heartfelt farewell centered on the things he loved most.

A HEARTBREAKING FAREWELL IN MCPHERSON

A grieving Kansas community came together on Monday, October 26, to say goodbye to six-year-old Cole Adrian, a kindergarten student remembered for the joy he brought to those around him.

Family members, friends, classmates and community residents gathered at McPherson Free Methodist Church in McPherson to honor Cole’s life and support his loved ones following the devastating loss.

Cole’s funeral brought together people whose lives had been touched by the young boy. Although his life was brief, those closest to him hoped the service would celebrate not only the tragedy of his death but also the happiness and memories he left behind.

The family invited mourners to wear blue clothing, soccer jerseys or camouflage—some of Cole’s favorite things—as a personal tribute to the little boy they loved.

A TRAGEDY AT STRYKER SPORTS COMPLEX

Cole died on October 17 after a pickup truck drove onto a soccer field at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, while games were taking place.

The crash claimed the lives of Cole and 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer, also of McPherson. Ten other people, ranging in age from five to 68, were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.

The incident sent shockwaves through the local community, affecting families, young athletes, spectators and the people who responded to the emergency.

What began as a day of youth sports became a scene of profound loss, leaving families to confront the sudden deaths of loved ones and the injuries suffered by others.

A KINDERGARTEN STUDENT REMEMBERED BY HIS SCHOOL

Cole attended kindergarten at Roosevelt Elementary School. His death deeply affected the McPherson school community, where students and staff were also grieving.

McPherson Public Schools closed on October 26 so employees and members of the school community could attend the funeral and honor Cole’s memory.

The closure gave classmates, teachers and other staff members an opportunity to come together during an exceptionally difficult time. For young children, the loss of a classmate can be especially hard to understand, making the support of families, educators and friends an important part of the grieving process.

“LAUGH LIKE COLE, LOVE LIKE COLE, LIVE LIKE COLE”

One message has become a lasting tribute to Cole: “Laugh Like Cole, Love Like Cole, Live Like Cole.”

The words reflect the family’s wish to keep his memory alive through the way people treat one another and experience everyday life.

The request for mourners to wear blue, soccer jerseys or camouflage also gave the community a way to celebrate Cole’s personality and interests rather than remember him only through the circumstances of his death.

For those who knew him, these familiar details offered a connection to the little boy behind the headlines—a child whose life mattered deeply to his family, school and community.

INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH CONTINUES

Authorities have continued investigating the circumstances that led to the pickup truck entering the soccer field.

In updates following the crash, police said investigators were gathering evidence and awaiting additional information, including toxicology results and a mechanical examination of the vehicle. The status of the investigation may change as further findings become available.

The loss of Cole and Nicholas, alongside the injuries suffered by ten other people, has left a lasting impact on those affected by the incident.

A COMMUNITY UNITED IN GRIEF

As Cole’s family faces life without him, the support of classmates, neighbors and friends has offered a reminder that they are not alone in their grief.

The funeral was a farewell to a six-year-old whose future was cut short, but it was also a celebration of the memories his loved ones will carry forward.

His family’s message remains a simple and powerful way to honor him: laugh freely, love deeply and live with kindness.

May Cole’s memory continue to bring comfort to his family, friends and everyone whose life he touched.