The father of Cole Adrian, a six-year-old boy killed when a woman drove through a soccer game at a park in Wichita, Kansas, on 17 October, paid an emotional tribute to his son at his funeral service on Monday. Chris Adrian, of McPherson, Kansas, spoke through tears while he remembered Cole as an energetic, fun-loving child who loved life and “captured the heart” of everyone he met. Nicholas Schafer, 35, a soccer coach and middle school teacher also from McPherson, about an hour north of Wichita, was also killed when a pickup truck with a 34-year-old woman at the wheel reportedly sped from a parking lot and across the pitch where a game was under way.
Ten other people were injured, including girls aged five and nine, two boys aged eight, and one five-year-old boy. The suspected driver, from Garden City, Kansas, who reportedly had two of her own children in the car with her, according to police, was arrested at the scene. She was released a day later without charges pending further investigation, including the results of toxicology testing as well as an examination of her truck.
At Monday’s service, Adrian said the family had taken comfort from the support of the Wichita youth soccer community, whose players wore tribute shirts bearing the letters “LLCA” at a game days after Cole’s death. They’re more than words on a shirt now. They’re a reminder of who Cole was, and who we can all strive to be.” Adrian said his family also leaned heavily on their Christian faith.
There’s no pep talk that can make any of this make sense or be OK. There’s one thing that brings us comfort, that last week Cole ran through those gates of heaven just like we’ve seen him run across that soccer field so many times. Saying those words we were so lucky to hear so many times: ‘best day ever’.” Investigators have urged the public to be patient as they continue to work through the circumstances of case in search of a cause.
Wichita’s police chief, Joe Sullivan, released a statement defending the release of the driver the day after the tragedy. We swear an oath to support the laws of the state of Kansas and the constitution of the US, and no one in the Wichita police department takes that oath for granted.”
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