CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wingate University basketball player Kyle Honore died after being hit by a train Tuesday night, the school announced Wednesday.
Honore was hit by a train near the university entrance just before 11 p.m. on Monday. He succumbed to his injuries while being taken to the hospital, according to police.
Honore was a freshman on Wingate's men's basketball team. He was originally from Dumfries, Virginia.
"We send our prayers, love, and support to Kyle's family, friends and loved ones," a tweet from Wingate's athletic department said.
The campus held a prayer vigil for Honore Thursday, which was also the first day of classes. More than 100 students and staff members gathered that night to pray for his family, friends and basketball team.
Honore's teammate Vontrez Roberts told WCNC Charlotte he has been struggling with the bad news but has turned to God for help. He described Honore as "hardworking, fun to be around, and he was just eager to do a lot, he was just wide open, ready, ready for it all."
Junior A.J. Johnson did not know Honore, but said the tragedy has made an impact on campus.
"I just pray that everyone around here stays safe, and it’s a great school year, that we continue to push forward, and we’re going to continue to pray for his family and friends and the basketball team here," Johnson said.
Wingate University president and one of Honore's coaches released the following statements regarding his death:
“It’s hard to reconcile the loss of Kyle Honore with the hopeful beginnings of a new academic year,” said Dr. Rhett Brown, University president. “To Kyle’s family, teammates and friends, we grieve your loss and we pray for your care and well-being during this difficult time. At moments like these, we are reminded that life is both precious and fleeting. We can and should honor Kyle’s memory by doing all we can to look out for, and care for, each other.”
“Kyle was a big personality who could light up the room and make friends quickly,” said Marcus Kirkland, associate head coach for men’s basketball. “Kyle was a great addition to our team and showed great promise coming out of high school as a four-year varsity player and three-year starter as a point guard. His presence will be missed by a lot of people.”
Counseling services were made available for Wingate students. The university said it is meeting with Honore's family and helping them deal with the tragedy.
A GoFundMe online fundraiser has been established to help the family.
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