ODA remembers Taylor Emmons

LAKEWOOD RANCH —The Out-of-Door Academy community is mourning the loss of one of their own.

ODA graduate and former baseball star Taylor Emmons, 19, died shortly after 1 a.m., Dec. 5, in Coral Gables, where he was attending college at the University of Miami. Emmons was struck by an SUV.

“It’s tough,” said ODA alumni Tony Gurry, who co-captained the Thunder baseball team with Emmons in 2009. “Yeah, it’s tough. He was well respected by everyone. Everyone loved him. He was definitely a great teammate and friend. I don’t understand why it had to be him.”

A Coral Gables Police Department report states a silver Toyota 4Runner was traveling southbound on San Amaro Drive when it collided with Emmons, a pedestrian. The driver, who was later identified as Mary Suzanne Jean, 39, of Miami, stopped, attempted some sort of first aid and called authorities, said Kelly Denham, public information officer for the Coral Gables Police Department. Emmons suffered critical injuries and was transported to Doctor’s Hospital, where he died.

Denham said the accident is under investigation, and a toxicology test is being conducted as part of the investigation. Results could take up to 150 days to come back. No official incident report had been made public as of press time Tuesday.

“We’re still very early in the investigation,” Denham said, noting the police department was following up every potential lead and rumor.

Back home in the East County, friends and family are reeling from the loss.

“Taylor was an amazing human being,” said longtime friend Nathan Feldhacker, who also played golf with Emmons at ODA. “He could make anyone laugh at anytime. He was the most fun-loving, welcoming, just incredible person I ever had the honor to know.”

Emmons, who was studying entrepreneurship and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity at Miami, was a star athlete at ODA. Along with Gurry, he helped lead the Thunder baseball team to the second game of the Class 1A-Region 3 championship series his senior year. That season, the team set 14 school records, posted the most wins in a single season, won the team’s first district title and advanced to the regional finals for the first time.

“When we were playing baseball, he was always trying to make it fun — when it was time to have fun,” said Sean Fleeman, who was a year younger than Emmons. “But when it was time to be serious, he was the first one to tell you. He was the leader.

“He was guiding everyone,” he said. “He was one of the most friendly guys. Everyone at our school knew and loved him. There was no way to not like him.”

Gurry agreed, adding his friend’s sense of humor was one of his most beloved qualities.

“He just simply made everyone’s day more enjoyable with his positive attitude, ability to make everyone laugh, and love and consideration for others,” he said. “He could also hit a baseball farther than I have ever seen. It was a great privilege having such an inspiring and loving friend in my life who will never be replaced or forgotten by any of us. Mr. and Mrs. Emmons, Sam, and Mike you’re in all of our thoughts and prayers.”

Baseball Coach Mike Verril said he would always remember Emmons for his “unbelievable smile and good humor.”

“He could light up a room or an entire ball field with that cocky smile of his,” he said. “Taylor as an individual was just simply a great young man who always helped others, was a leader and an inspiration to other students. He had tremendous school spirit and would be the guy to cheer the other teams on at ODA. His enthusiasm was infectious as well as relentless. He is what anyone would want in a son, teammate and friend.”

Verrill said baseball team members are supporting each other as best they can and plan to honor Emmon’s memory in some way through the team and the school.

“It is, of course, a very sad day for all of us,” he said. “I will always remember Taylor and give him a place in my heart. He is one of those really great kids that I suppose I got too close to because the pain of his passing is just unbearable to me. I and the team will greatly miss him, but never forget him.”

Grief counselors were on campus at ODA on Monday. Funeral services had not yet been arranged by press time.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].