Hampton community mourning loss of beloved teacher and coach
To the town of Hampton, Kyle Ediger was more than just a teacher and coach of nine years. He was family to the Hampton community. A brother. A friend.
HAMPTON, Neb. (KLKN) – On Tuesday night, shortly after his Hampton Hawks won a basketball game, math teacher and boy’s basketball coach Kyle Ediger was sitting at a railroad crossing waiting for a train to pass.
According to York County officials, a man we now know to be 43-year-old Joseph Stoltenberg struck Ediger’s car from behind with a stolen K-9 patrol vehicle, sending both vehicles into a moving train, killing them both, as well as a K-9 dog named Nitro.
To the town of Hampton, Ediger was more than just a teacher and coach of nine years. He was family to the Hampton community. A brother. A friend.
On the Wednesday afternoon following Ediger’s passing, a group of former classmates and students of his were gathered in front of a Hampton home grieving the loss of their dear friend.
Channel 8 approached the group, who declined to go on camera, but they shared some stories about what made Ediger special.
A 7th grade student who had Ediger as a teacher says she was a difficult student at times but even through her struggles, she said, “Mr. Ediger always believed in me.”
A 29-year-old woman who went to school with Ediger added, “He believed in everyone.”
Ediger graduated from Hampton Public School in the class of 2008.
A gifted athlete at 6’4”, he was described as being able to windmill dunk a basketball.
As one of his friends put it, “He could have played at Duke but he wanted to teach in his hometown instead.”
His friends describe Ediger as a man loved and respected in his community for his kindness and belief in other people. One friend says Ediger was set to get married this summer.
His loved ones are mourning his sudden loss.
A memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 12th at the United Methodist Church in Aurora. The visitation will be from 4 – 7 p.m.
The alumni association of Hampton High school is creating a scholarship fund in Ediger’s name.
You can donate to the fund at Cornerstone Bank or on the Venmo app (@Ediger-Scholarship).
