Family, friends remember Texas Wesleyan student killed Saturday as selfless, caring man
Friends and family of Charles Trammell III, the 20-year-old former Texas Wesleyan football player police said was killed by a drunk driver Saturday night while trying to help a friend change a flat tire, remembered him Wednesday evening as someone who would give anything to make sure others were OK.
Fort Worth police said Trammell was struck by another vehicle on the U.S. 287 ramp to Interstate 30 westbound near downtown. The impact caused him to fall off the bridge, a 60-foot fall.
Trammell was on the bridge around 9:20 p.m. with two stopped vehicles. Police have arrested Miguel Angel Lopez, 28, of Fort Worth, and charged him with intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle and accident involving a death, according to Tarrant County Jail records. He’s being held on $80,000 bond, $40,000 for each charge.
On Wednesday, which would have been his 21st birthday, others gathered to remember Trammell and share stories. They said Trammell would do acts of service for the people around him all the time, but he would never talk or brag about it.
He would look out for the safety and well-being of those around him, no matter how well he knew them. He was unwavering in his Christian faith and lived a life that inspired others to put as much kindness and caring into the world as they could.
Nobody who spoke at the memorial service and candlelight vigil, hosted at Texas Wesleyan, left the microphone without crying. More than 100 people — family, friends, classmates, professors and college administrators — came to the service.
His mother, Shenica Trammell, said through sobs that she’s not sure how to process the loss of her son. She’s just relying on her faith and her family to get through it.
“Charles lost his life helping others. That’s what he lived by, helping others,” Shenica said.
She asked everyone who attended the memorial to promise they would never drive drunk.
“Charles lost his life because a coward got behind the wheel of a car after he had been drinking and killed my son,” Shenica said. “It could have been avoided. It really could have been.”
His father, Charles Trammell II, said his son wanted nothing more than to lift up those around him.
Joe Prud’homme, head coach of the Texas Wesleyan football team, said Charles Trammell III lived his life so he would have no regrets in a way that he doesn’t see many people live when they’re young.
“Charles gave in service to others but didn’t talk about it, not just for people he knew but to people he didn’t know,” Prud’homme said. “This young man lived his life to the fullest. He was snatched from us too early.”
He lived a purposeful life, Texas Wesleyan University President Frederick G. Slabach said.
“My religious tradition teaches that the purpose of life is to learn, to love and to serve,” Slabach said. “Charles lived that life. ... The sadness that we are feeling right now is because Charles touched so many lives. That hole that he filled used to be filled with his friendship and his care.”
Slabach said anybody who knew Trammell can honor his memory by “expanding that friendship and care with others throughout the world.”
After the memorial, people headed outside with red balloons they released and lit candles. They prayed for peace and understanding and to thank God for the times they got to spend with him.
This story was originally published August 31, 2022 at 10:04 PM.