Kaitlin Aylor, 18, of Madison, Va., died of brain trauma and internal injuries on Aug. 16 as a result of an accident in which she was thrown from the all-terrain vehicle in which she was riding.

A 2014 graduate of Madison County High School, Aylor was within seven days of entering Eastern Mennonite University, where she planned to study to become a kindergarten teacher and to play softball under the guidance of coach J.D. McCurdy.

“Kaitlin was the example of the EMU student-athlete we want to recruit in our program,” McCurdy said. “She was a kind and caring person with a big heart for the game and her teammates. In recruiting, Kaitlin was always respectful and never missed an opportunity to thank our coaches for coming to her games. She will never be forgotten, and her spirit lives on.”

The Charlottesville Daily Progress reported the vehicle’s driver, 18-year-old Travis M. Allen, was charged with driving after illegally consuming alcohol. He made an appearance in Fluvanna County General District Court Aug. 19.
Several of Aylor’s cousins and a close friend are current or incoming students at EMU.

A funeral service took place Aug. 19 in Etlan. Her parents, Sue and Robert Aylor, have asked that memorial contributions be given to the EMU women’s softball team in recognition of her excitement about playing softball at EMU.

This is the second semester in a row EMU has begun with the death of an incoming student. Doyeon Ki, a 21-year-old woman from South Korea set to enroll in the Intensive English Program, was killed in an accident Jan. 1, a week before she was to start classes.

EMU contributed to this report.