San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Memorial: Ceremony to honor beloved Branson athlete
Peyton Mullarkey hasn’t done much public speaking in his young life. But that’s not why the 17-year-old BransonRoss student was on edge the day before Saturday’s 11 a.m. memorial service for Kwentyn Wiggins at Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Mill Valley.
“Place is going to be packed — absolutely jammed,” he said. “But Kwentyn will get me through.”
Wiggins, a 17-year-old junior who died in a one-car, onepassenger accident in the early morning of June 10, always powered his teammates through tough times.
A quarterback on the school’s eight-man football team and starting point guard on its state-ranked basketball squad, Wiggins had a knack for bringing comfort, bridging gaps and making big plays.
Besides being called the best athlete at the small school, he was also considered one of the campus’ most popular and recognizable figures.
“He made everyone feel special,” said Mullarkey, also a starting guard on the basketball team. “No one was invisible to him. I loved him for that. He was a perfect friend. I couldn’t get enough of him.”
Said Branson coach Jonas Honick: “Some people have a certain amount of charisma, and others simply do not. Kwentyn definitely had it. He was never afraid to put himself out there in uncomfortable situations and make others feel comfortable.”
As one of a few African American students at a mostly white, upscale school, Wiggins immediately broke racial and economic barriers not only through sports, but with his engaging personality, said basketball teammate Viktor Rajkovic, a recent Branson graduate.
“There was never any awkwardness, he was super unafraid,” Rajkovic said. “He was able to fit in because of who he was — someone who you saw who always put a smile on your face. He was so upbeat. So giving. He always made your day so much better.”
He made his teammates so much better during games, they said. His life mirrored his contributions on the court. Wiggins was considered a Division 1 or 2 college basketball prospect.
“He was a pass-first point guard,” Rajkovic said. “He was super fast and athletic and could jump out of the gym. He made some spectacular dunks this year. But his first job was to get us the ball. He was so unselfish. Some of his passes were unbelievable. He could see one step ahead of the play. When there was adversity, he always kept us level-headed.”
No one could possible keep their composure when they heard of Wiggins’ death.
Just past 2 a.m. on June 10, his 2004 Honda sedan drifted from southbound 101 past Tamalpais Drive, struck a tree and caught fire.
“By all accounts, he was just driving back from a friend’s house and fell asleep,” Honick said. “He wasn’t doing anything wrong. It was a Sunday night and Monday morning. Just like that, he was gone.
“To say it’s been tough would be a vast understatement. This community has been rocked. It’s been really hard for the players, classmates, teachers, coaches and, of course, family.”
Said Rajkovic, “Every day I wake up I still can hardly believe it.”
What’s more unbelievable, Honick said, is the enormity of Wiggins’ reach.
“It’s really amazing to see just how many relationships and friends Kwentyn had,” Honick said. “He obviously touched a lot of lives.”
That’s apparent from the results of a GoFundMe page that was set up by the Branson administration for the Wiggins family on June 11. The goal was a very ambitious $125,000, but as of Friday night, the money raised, according to the website, is at a staggering $211,878.
“We’ve been told it’s the fourth-fastest climb to that amount in the history of GoFundMe,” Honick said. “Astounding.”
Mullarkey, who along with Honick, is scheduled to speak at the service, said: “That just shows how many friends he has and how many lives he touched. He was definitely the face of our school. He’ll continue to be. I know personally that his legacy will always live through me.”