College quarterback killed in NC crash remembered as a ‘leader on and off the field’
An 18-year-old college football player was known for his bright smile and his leadership skills “on and off the field.”
But Will Patterson’s life was cut short when he was in killed in a North Carolina crash on Saturday, Nov. 5, officials said.
Patterson’s death shattered his small Virginia college, where he was a freshman and “up-and-coming quarterback” for the Panthers, according to the school and an online obituary.
“We offer our deepest condolences to Will’s family, friends, and teammates,” Ferrum College wrote in a Facebook post.
Patterson — also affectionately called “Willie P” — is remembered in online posts as a beloved student and a “leader on and off the field.” He played several sports and treated his coaches and teammates as if they were his own family members.
“He never left without saying I love you, especially to his mother who he cherished with all of his heart,” according to an obituary on the Bridges - Cameron Funeral Home website.
Patterson died days before his 19th birthday, records show. He was from Sanford, North Carolina, in Lee County and roughly 40 miles southwest of Raleigh.
Patterson wasn’t scheduled to travel with his football team over the weekend and instead went home. He died in a Lee County crash, according to the school and WSLS.
But N.C. State Highway Patrol in a news release said the crash happened in neighboring Chatham County. Patterson was driving on U.S. Highway 1 when he “traveled off the roadway to the left, struck the face of a guardrail, and re-entered the roadway before his vehicle traveled off the road to the right, striking a tree,” according to state troopers.
Patterson died at the scene of the crash. Speed is believed to have been a factor, officials said.
“Tough to break the news to the team after the game,” John Sutyak, the school’s athletic director, told The Roanoke Times. “My whole focus is on the team and the coaching staff. It’s a big, close family, so it’s a tough day.”
Ferrum College is a private school roughly 35 miles south of Roanoke, Virginia. The college had nearly 900 undergraduate students in fall 2021, according to U.S. News & World Report.
“In this time of loss, we are reminded of the importance of community,” according to the school, which said support is being offered on campus and from staff members.
Ferrum College didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Nov. 7.
This story was originally published November 7, 2022 at 12:18 PM with the headline "College quarterback killed in NC crash remembered as a ‘leader on and off the field’."
