On Nov. 15 one of our fellow Martin Warriors passed away in a tragic accident. Junior Ryan Fuqua, born Sept. 5, 2003, was 17 when an ATV accident occurred taking his life. Fuqua’s funeral was held Nov. 24, where friends and family came together to celebrate his life. 

At Martin, Fuqua was taking welding classes at the TCC to help him earn his degree and further a career in the family business. One of his friends and classmates, junior Zeke Gibson, had wonderful things to say about Fuqua and who he was.

“Ryan was a great guy,” Gibson said. “He was always there for others and was very supportive of anyone who needed it. He helped me through some of my bad times and I loved him like a brother.” 

Fuqua’s friends said he was a people person and loved spending quality time with friends and family. Both his parents Adam and Angela Fuqua, his younger sister, Brooke, and other extended family members are left to mourn his passing. Close friends, such as sophomore Krista Weldon said she will never forget him and his bubbly personality.

“He was always really nice to everyone even if he didn’t know them,” Weldon said. “He cared about his family so much, especially his little sister. When you would hang out with him, you just knew that it was going to be fun because that’s the type of person he was – always making things better.”

One thing about Fuqua that he will be remembered most for is his kindness. Those who knew him talked about the kindness he radiated not only towards family and friends, but also towards strangers. Another friend of Fuqua’s who didn’t want to give her name said she knew him very personally and felt his loss very deeply.`

“When I was feeling down, I would always text Ryan,” she said. “He was a sweet soul, but not the kind of generic sweet that people expect when they have to reply to a text like mine. He was genuine, and that was one of my favorite things about him.”

Laughing and making others laugh, was a gift of Fuqua’s. Friends said his laugh could light up a room, and provide a sense of comfort for anyone. His friend said she felt the same when it came to Ryan’s humor.

“He knew all the ways to make me laugh, and never failed to uplift my spirits,” she said. “Ryan was truly one in a million, and I will never forget him.”

To send flowers or to plant a tree in honor of Fuqua’s life, remembrances can be made through these links: https://wade-family-funeral-home.tributecenterstore.com/?oId=18996255&source=ta1&taph=1 

https://tree.tributecenterstore.com/memorial-tree?oId=18996255&source=ta1&taph=1

Or to make a monetary donation, contact the Ryan Fuqua Scholarship Fund through Wells Fargo Bank, 5905 W. Poly Webb Rd., Arlington, TX under account number 8238646841.