‘He was a blessing.’ Keller Fossil Ridge mourns the loss of boys basketball player
The boys basketball program at Keller Fossil Ridge is mourning the loss of junior small forward Kyndyl Campbell, who died Saturday night. According to his mother, Donnetha Campbell, the family found Kyndyl unresponsive at home Saturday evening. He was 16.
“What a great kid,” Fossil Ridge coach Zach Myers said. “I know you’re not supposed to have favorites, but Kyndyl was everyone’s favorite. He brought the biggest joy to others and was a great teammate. We are heartbroken. Everybody is struggling right now. I don’t think I have any tears left. He will always have a big stamp on this program and this group of kids and coaches. He was very loved and he loved us back.”
Myers called Campbell a glue guy with high energy.
He spent last season on the Panthers’ junior varsity team and moved up to varsity this year.
“We have five core values: hard work, toughness, joy, accountability and unselfishness, and Kyndyl showcased every one of them,” Myers said. “It didn’t matter if he played 16 minutes or one minute, he had a great attitude.
“He worked his tail off the day you met him and his attitude was infectious around the team. We just won on a buzzer beater and he was the happiest dude that night and the happiest dude the next day at practice. We could’ve lost by 30 points, the next morning he would be ready to roll. That’s who he was every day.”
Campbell was born and raised in Wichita, Kan., before moving to the Fort Worth area in 2019.
He played basketball and football.
Cedric Payne was his coach from kindergarten through the eighth grade and remembers Campbell as a respectful, hard working student-athlete who led by example.
“Kyndyl was well-liked by everyone who knew him so this is devastating to the Wichita community,” Payne said. “No matter what was going on or who was around, whenever Kyndyl saw me he made sure to take the time to speak and hold a conversation about how things were going. He appreciated me as much as I appreciated him. I’ll definitely miss how he made me feel as a mentor of young men. Kyndyl is a special one who touched a lot of people.”
Donnetha Campbell said that the community welcomed Kyndyl and her family with open arms.
“It’s been an outpouring of love. My neighbors have showed me love,” she said. “The school and coaching staff has been nothing but kind. He was loved by so many.”
Campbell had a 14-year-old sister and did anything for her.
“He was a blessing. He was so kind and giving with perfect manners,” Donnetha Campbell said. “He loved his sister. His favorite line was I have to take care of my mom and sister. He was the life of the room.”
Funeral arrangements are still to be determined. Campbell will be buried at Jackson Mortuary in Wichita.
Campbell is survived by his father, Keyleen Elmore; mother, Donnetha Campbell; stepfather, LeAundre Brown; brother, LaVonte Crook; sisters, Keylee and Jazmyne Campbell; and grandparents, Marvin and Sandra Campbell, Ann and Chauncey Kemp and Selma Elmore.
This story was originally published January 13, 2021 at 11:02 AM.
