The Ole Miss family is grieving over a student death as a member of the football team was killed last Wednesday in a traffic accident in Chickasaw County.
Park Stevens, 20, of Columbus was killed when his pickup collided with the rear of an 18-wheeler at Egypt Road and U.S. Highway 45A around 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A crowd of around 700 attended his funeral service held Saturday at Mt. Vernon Church in Columbus where Stevens attended.
“Our team is hurting with the loss of Park,” said Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze. “He was a tremendous young man that was loved by his teammates and coaches, and Rebel Nation will never forget him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Stevens’ family, his friends, our team and all those he touched during his life.”
Stevens, who was known off the field as a friend to all and a stranger to no one, began his love for sports from an early age playing football, basketball, and and baseball. He was known as humble, caring, and loyal to teammates and many friends. Stevens also spent lots of time serving others through the Joy Prom, Boys and Girls Club and Special Olympics.
“He touched everybody, always had a smile on his face,” said Charlie Scott, a Madison native who played with Stevens on the Ole Miss football team. “One of the best guys you could ever meet.”
Scott said Stevens loved going to practice every day and being a part of SEC football.
During his senior year of high school at New Hope High School, Stevens was named a Max Emfinger All American and played in the Louisiana/Mississippi All Star Game. He attended East Central Community College for two years where he played right guard in 2012 before transferring to Ole Miss in the spring as a walk-on to fulfill his life-long dream of playing SEC football, going through spring drills as a backup offensive lineman. His hard work payed off as he earned numerous reps in the 2013 Grove Bowl.
Stevens is survived by his parents Dean and Gail Stevens of Columbus, along with with his brother, Terry Dale Cruse of St. Louis, Mo., and his sister Tina Beth Brown of Columbus.
