Vilonia native Ethan Dietz passed away Tuesday morning after sustaining an injury during his basketball game over the weekend.
VILONIA, Ark. — Ask anyone in Vilonia about Ethan Dietz, and you’ll hear the same sentiment.
“He was one who was always ready to go, ready to help,” Erin Rappold, former teacher and family friend, said. “He was just always that kid that just jumped in with both feet, always taking that initiative.”
Rappold shared that Dietz was a light, much more than a standout basketball player at Vilonia High School.
“He would just grab you and hug you and tell you he loves you. And that was just him. He always wanted people to know that they were loved, and he just brought joy to so many people’s lives,” Rappold said.
Dietz’s former trainer in Conway, Warren Martin, said he remembers his time with Dietz during the summer.
“He’d always make it a point to come up, you know, either give me a fist bump or a little hug. He’s just that kind of guy that, you know, walk in the room. He’s smiling,” Martin said.
An unforgettable smile, his loved ones, and his hometown are clinging to after learning of his tragic passing.
“I’m still a little shocked. This is the toughest part about being a teacher. You invest so much in the lives of kids and see great moments, and to lose one so young with so much potential, it’s just hard,” Martin said.
Dietz died Tuesday morning from an injury officials say he sustained during his college basketball game over the weekend.
The 20-year-old was just a sophomore at Connors State College in Oklahoma.
The school released a statement remembering Dietz as both “talented athletically and academically,” describing him as “all heart.”
“This next summer that rolls around, I’m not going to get to see him. It’s a selfish part, wanting him to be here, but I know that he’s with god now, and you know he’s looking down,” Coach Martin said.
Rappold said that she and Dietz spoke last Sunday. She had no clue that talking to him on Sunday would be the last time.
“He sent me his ball schedule for college,” Rappold said. “We were planning to go during Christmas break to see him, and so that’s kind of the hard part now, is knowing that we didn’t get to go.”
Through the grief, it’s the joy he spread that the community holds on to; they are never letting go of the light Dietz left behind.
“He was loved so much by so many, and for him to be able to give back even after it just means a lot,” Rappold said.
The university spokesperson, Shannon Rigsby, said counselors have been made available to students and games through the week, and the college has since canceled several upcoming basketball games.
A vigil on campus is now planned to honor Ethan’s life and legacy at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 1, 2025.