WAKULLA COUNTY, FL — Kyle Randall Jones, commonly known as Kyler, was 16 years old when he tragically lost his life in a diving accident over the July 4th weekend, according to his family.
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His family describes Kyler as a true sportsman with a love of fishing, duck and deer hunting, and football.
Derek Allen, Kyler's football coach since he was 11 years old at the rec park, remembers him as someone who could light up any room.
"As a person, he was a great human being; also, like he was that kid that could fit in with any crowd; everybody wanted to be around him. He had a bunch of different hobbies. He played football, played pickleball, lobstered, scalloped, water skied, like he was a kind of a kid that kind of did a little bit of everything," Allen said.
Allen recalled how Kyler was always the energy behind the team.
"He always was smiling, always always trying to have a good time," Allen said.
Before games, Kyler made it his mission to rally his teammates.
"He, like I said, [was] one of those kids that everybody wanted to be around, so like before the games he would be the one trying to get everybody pumped up, he would be the one that does the chant before we ran from under the goal post, and everybody kind of rallied around him," Allen said.
Kyler had also been working hard to return to the field after an injury.
"Ever since then, he's been rehabbing and going to real recovery every chance that he got, getting kneeling done, doing everything that he could to get back to playing football, because that was one thing that he loved the most, but just an extremely hard worker," Allen said.
Kyler's family shared a statement thanking the community for their outpouring of support.
Our community and our church and work families have poured out so much love on our family the last few days. We truly appreciate it. Kyler will be missed more than words can say and we cherish every simple moment and grand adventure we had with him. We hope to honor Kyler’s memory by loving others and being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Allen said he and the team will play in honor of Kyler in the coming season, and that every win will be for him.
Kyler's funeral service will be held Friday, July 10th at 11:00 a.m. at the River of Life Church in Crawfordville.
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