6-Year-Old Cole Adrian Remembered at Funeral After Kansas Soccer Tragedy

Chris Adrian, of McPherson, Kansas, delivered a eulogy for his six-year-old son, Cole, at McPherson Free Methodist Church on Monday, nine days after the boy was killed when a pickup truck drove through a youth soccer game at Wichita's Stryker Sports Complex, according to The Guardian. The service was livestreamed.

How did Chris Adrian describe his son at the funeral?

Speaking through tears, Adrian remembered Cole as an energetic, fun-loving child who "captured the heart" of everyone he met, the Guardian reported. "Cole often told us this was the 'best day ever,' even on days when nothing really special happened," Adrian said during the eulogy. "He found joy in the simplest things, and had a way of making ordinary days feel extraordinary. The world would be a much brighter place if we all had a little bit more of Cole's heart."

What happened at the soccer complex on Oct. 17?

A 34-year-old woman driving a pickup truck sped from a parking lot and across the field where a game was underway at Stryker Sports Complex on Oct. 17, according to police cited by the Guardian. The truck struck and killed Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, a soccer coach and middle school teacher also from McPherson. Ten other people were injured: girls ages five and nine, two boys age eight, and a five-year-old boy, per the report.

By the numbers:

• 2 people killed: Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35
• 10 others injured, ranging in age from five to nine years old
• 1 driver, age 34, arrested at the scene

Who was Nicholas Schafer?

Schafer, also of McPherson, was a soccer coach and middle school teacher who was on the field when the truck struck the game, according to the Guardian. The funeral held Monday was specifically for Cole Adrian; the report did not detail separate funeral arrangements for Schafer.

What is the status of the police investigation?

The driver, from Garden City, Kansas, reportedly had two of her own children in the vehicle at the time, according to police cited by the Guardian. She was arrested at the scene but released the following day without charges, pending toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of her truck. The case remains under active police investigation, the outlet reported.

Timeline

• Oct. 17, 2026: Pickup truck drives through a youth soccer game at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, killing Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35; ten others injured.
• Oct. 18, 2026: Driver released without charges pending toxicology results and a vehicle examination, per police.
• Oct. 26, 2026: Funeral service for Cole Adrian held at McPherson Free Methodist Church and livestreamed.

What to watch

• Results of toxicology testing on the driver.
• Findings from the examination of the pickup truck.
• Whether Kansas prosecutors file charges once the investigation concludes.
• Any additional tributes or services for Nicholas Schafer.

The investigation into the crash remains open, according to the Guardian's report, with no charges filed as of the funeral service Monday.

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