Trinity University Issues Statement on Tragic Death of College Football Coach’s Daughter

When Wade Lytal, the offensive coordinator at Trinity University, posted a video of his daughter singing a Christmas carol, asking for prayers and a miracle, the college football world held its breath. That video wasn’t just a tribute. It was a desperate, heart-wrenching plea from a father looking for his baby girl. And the unimaginable is confirmed: 8-year-old Kellyanne Lytal is gone.

Kellyanne was one of the campers caught in the devastating Guadalupe River floods that ravaged the Texas Hill Country last week. A student at Camp Mystic—a Christian girls’ summer camp in Hunt, Texas—Kellyanne was among the 27 lives lost, according to BBC reports. What started as rising waters turned into a full-blown catastrophe, and for the Lytal family, it ended in heartbreak.

On July 11, Trinity University, where Wade Lytal is not just a coach but an alum, issued a statement Friday night confirming Kellyanne’s passing and mourning with the family: “Mourning the Loss of Kellyanne Lytal. Dear Trinity Community. The university has learned that Kellyanne Lytal, the young daughter of Trinity football offensive coordinator Wade Lytal ’09, has been confirmed as deceased following the catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River last week. Our entire community grieves with the Lytal family, to whom we extend our deepest sympathies and unwavering support. We know this loss will be felt across our campus and beyond.”

Wade, a 2009 Trinity grad and former offensive lineman, had been pleading for help and praying for a miracle since the day Kellyanne went missing. His video—a sweet, fearless young girl singing her heart out—went viral as the search continued. It wasn’t just Wade grieving, either. Trinity’s head coach, Jerheme Urban, and several players personally joined the search efforts, combing through the flood-ravaged land in hope. “She is absolutely fearless,” Wade wrote. “I’ll never forget when she told me she had a lead solo in the Christmas Pageant.”

The university has now confirmed that the family has set up the Kellyanne Elizabeth Lytal Memorial Foundation—a way to keep her light going and support causes she loved. It’s the kind of gesture no family wants to make, but one that shows strength in the middle of soul-shaking pain.

There’s something so uniquely cruel about how this unfolded. Camp Mystic, for generations, has been a dreamy summer escape for Texas kids—braid your hair, float the river, make a friendship bracelet, and come home with a journal full of memories. But last week, the Guadalupe River turned on them. The storm came fast, the waters came faster, and in the blink of an eye, childhood wonder was swallowed by chaos. Kellyanne was among 27 campers and counselors swept away. Her story, tragically, is one of the few that’s been named.

Wade Lytal didn’t just lose a daughter—he lost a future full of bedtime stories, soccer games, and dance recitals. His wife, Malorie, and their other daughter, Emmalynn, are now navigating a grief no family should bear. And yet, they found the strength to release a statement: “She was kind, fearless, silly, compassionate, and a loving friend to everyone… We thank God for the eight magical years we got to share with her.” Their words were raw, tender, and utterly devastating. They didn’t just lose their girl—they lost their sunshine.

College football coaches unite in support, send love to victims’ families

This tragedy also pulled back the curtain on how deep football roots run in Texas, not for competition, but for community. Trinity isn’t some national powerhouse. It’s DIII. It’s small. But its heart is massive. Coaches, players, students, even alumni showed up in droves—not just online, but on the ground. They searched, they prayed, they comforted. And now, they mourn. They are not fans from afar; they are a family in the fight.

The tragedy at Camp Mystic sent shockwaves through every corner of the football map. Coaches who usually stick to the playbook took time to speak out. Baylor head coach Dave Aranda said it flat-out: “It’s beyond tragedy. A parent’s worst nightmare.” TCU’s Sonny Dykes and players wore green ribbons at Big 12 Media Days to honor the victims. Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian also acknowledged the storm’s impact. But this was never about headlines—it was about hearts. And those hearts? They’re broken.

The Lytals’ heartbreak is personal to many in the coaching world. Wade’s not just a name on a sideline—he’s a brother in the fraternity. His former teammates, coaching peers, and rivals have all stepped up, flooding his family’s social feeds with messages of support.