They Turned Kaybree’s Memory Into Scholarships—Now They’re Grieving Kenlan Too

 How does a mother find the strength to bury one child, then somehow face the funeral of another just three years later? For Justin and Kelly Coleman of North Texas, that unimaginable question has become their reality after losing both of their children, 18-year-old Kaybree in 2023 and 13-year-old Kenlan “Scooter” Coleman last weekend. Their family is now carrying a grief that words can barely describe.

Kaybree died just weeks after turning 18 in a car crash in 2023. A senior at Windthorst High School, she was remembered as a cheerleader and athlete who filled her life with activities, including volleyball, basketball, track, FFA, FCCLA, archery and 4-H. Her death left Justin and Kelly without their only daughter, but instead of allowing her memory to fade, they searched for a way to keep her giving to others.

That effort became the Kaybree Coleman Memorial Scholarship, created to honor the young woman whose life had touched her community. In May, Kelly celebrated four graduating Windthorst seniors who each received $500 scholarships in Kaybree’s memory. Even choosing the recipients carried an emotional weight, Kelly wrote, because so many students had stories that touched her and made the decision difficult. Through those awards, Kaybree’s legacy continued reaching young people even after her death.

Then, less than three months after those scholarships were awarded, tragedy returned to the Coleman family. Kenlan, known affectionately as “Scooter,” died Saturday in an ATV rollover in Archer County, leaving his parents to confront another devastating loss. At only 13, he was still a child with years of growing, learning and living ahead of him, making his sudden death another unimaginable blow for a family already carrying profound grief.

His obituary describes their “sweet Baby Boy” as having run into the arms of Jesus, with his “Sweet Sister waiting with open arms for him.” The family remembers Scooter as a young cowboy with a huge heart who loved horses, cattle, ranch work and, most importantly, his family. Those memories now carry a painful significance because the boy they loved so deeply is gone, while the sister whose memory remained part of their lives is gone as well.

For Justin and Kelly, the passage of three years did not erase the pain of losing Kaybree, and Kenlan’s death has now opened another wound. They have gone from raising two beloved children to carrying the memories of both, forced to navigate a future neither parent could have imagined. Yet the scholarship established for Kaybree shows how their family had already found a way to transform unbearable loss into something that could benefit others.

There may be no perfect words for parents facing this kind of grief, and no message can repair the spaces left behind by two children. What others can offer, however, is remembrance: a prayer, a kind word, or simply the willingness to say Kaybree and Kenlan’s names. For families enduring unimaginable loss, knowing that others remember their children can become a small source of comfort when the days ahead feel impossible.

The Coleman family’s story is ultimately one of love enduring through tragedy. Kaybree’s memory continues through the scholarships created in her name, while Kenlan’s life remains cherished through the memories of the cowboy, son and brother he was. Justin and Kelly now face a road no parent should ever have to walk, but their children’s names can remain part of the community that remembers them: Kaybree and Kenlan.