22-year-old killed in accident near Stephenville was devoted to family, building legacy
A 22-year-old man died after a 2012 Ford Taurus hit him near Stephenville after midnight March 21, according to a Department of Public Safety news release.
Preliminary investigation shows the Ford was driving northbound on U.S. 281 around 12:20 a.m. in Erath County when the driver hit Kordell “KJ” Stiggers, of Manor, killing him, according to the release. DPS said Stiggers was walking in the northbound lane when he was struck.
Stiggers is remembered as a man who was devoted to family and his goals of building wealth to give a better future to his niece, nephews and the kids he wanted to have, his sister Cassie Kavanaugh said.
Stiggers was working with his brother and Kavanaugh to build a business breeding and selling American Bully dogs. He was in the process of breeding a new litter.
The 22-year-old moved briefly to North Texas, his sister said, but moved back to Manor, near Austin, because he wanted to be close to family. He attended Tarleton State University in fall 2018 and might have attended the school’s homecoming football game Saturday night against Midwestern State, his sister said.
“Loved being an uncle,” Kavanaugh said.
Stiggers went to every one of his oldest nephew’s games he could make and was constantly asking for updated shoe and clothing sizes so he could buy gifts for his nephews and niece, Kavanaugh said.
She said it was important to know he wasn’t perfect and his curiosity led him into trouble sometimes, but he tried to be the best person he could and have the best impact on the world and for his family.
Kavanaugh wanted to thank people on Twitter who have been showing support for the family and everybody who reached out to share condolences and stories.
The driver, 27-year-old Bryce M. Burrell, said he did not see Stiggers, according to the DPS release. No charges have been filed.
Burrell and two passengers in his vehicle, a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old man, were not harmed.
This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 5:30 AM.