LAGRANGE, MO. -- The Canton and Pittsfield communities are at a loss today after the death of a local student this weekend.
Tyler Zumwalt was a sophomore a Culver-Stockton. He was killed in a traffic accident on Highway 61 near LaGrange Sunday afternoon.
Tyler, known to many as "Max" was driving north shortly after 3:00 p.m. when he lost control on the snow-covered road. That's when his vehicle traveled off the right side of the road, overturned and hit an embankment.
Zumwalt played football for Culver-Stockton College. Later this week, students at Culver-Stockton will decide how they'd like to remember Max.
Wednesday, friends and family can attend a visitation at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield from 2 to 8 p.m. Max's funeral will be Thursday morning at 11, at the Assembly of God Church in Pittsfield.
Remembering Max
"I met with my team about an hour after it happened. We knew right away. The one thing about a football team is they're a pretty tight-knit family. And we have a lot of kids on the team that grew up with him," said Cameron Keller, the head football coach at CSC. "He was a soft-spoken kid, on and off the field, a kid I didn't have to worry about. And if I could have a hundred of him, I would,but he really loved playing the game and was really starting to come into his own as a player and getting comfortable with college life. It's really sad that we're not going to see the rest of his talent come to fruition."
"We've reached out to many students that knew Max, and provided opportunities for them to meet with our counseling services and college chaplain," said Bob Dudolski, the interim dean of Student Life and CSC.
"We're going to continue to provide support and grief counseling. This is the kind of event that actually goes on for months," said Susan Moon, CSC's Director of Counseling and Wellness. "This week, I think the students, and faculty and staff are all still in shock. It's like 'Oh my gosh.' He was a very quiet, polite, well-liked young man and it's a situation where it's doubly shocking. It's like 'why Max?' Our hearts and prayers go out to the family. I personally, can't stop thinking about what they're going through right now."
"Max was an outstanding student. He was a stranger to no one and will be greatly missed within the Pittsfield community. Our prayers go out to his family," said Paula Hawley, the superintendent of the Pikeland Community Schools.
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