Ethan Walkeran offensive lineman at Iowa Central Community College football equipment, died on January 4 while on vacation. I was 20 years old.
While the cause of his death has not been released, Walker died after suffering a “sudden medical event,” according to a GoFundMe page created to support his family and bring his body from Orlando, Florida, where he died.
The boy in the red shirt was on vacation with his girlfriend, Kenzie McClellandand his family at that time. Walker and McClelland were high school sweethearts, and the GoFundMe said they had grown close to their family over the years, “having been such a loving and devoted couple who honored their daughter with every action.”
“Ethan was a giant in every way: a 6’5″, 310-pound offensive lineman for the Iowa Central Tritons, working toward a goal of playing big-time college football,” the GoFundMe page reads. “But as much as he was known for his strength on the field, he was defined by his giant heart for his family, his friends, his faith.”
The page continues: “While his mother Sarahstepfather jeffand older brother Jordan he remains in Florida to navigate the agonizing process of bringing him home, his father John, his younger brother Lukeand their grandparents Jack i Jackie Morrison You wait in Iowa with heavy hearts to say your final goodbye.”
Money raised through GoFundMe will cover the cost of transporting Walker home, as well as emergency travel, lodging and funeral services.
“Beyond these immediate needs, any additional funds will be used to honor Ethan’s memory and preserve his legacy through memorial projects and tributes determined by his mother, Sara,” GoFundMe explains.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for anyone who has been touched by this great young man,” his coach said. Jesse Montaltohe wrote via X on Tuesday, January 6. “Ethan was a great person who embodied everything we stand for in Triton Nation. Our hearts are broken and our prayers and condolences go out to his entire family. You will be missed.”
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Tritons offensive line coach, Judge Cleggshe added in a post of her own, “Right now heartbroken and at a loss for words. But you need to get this out to the people who love him and don’t know him.”
Walker appeared in four games for the 2025 Tritons, who went 8-4 with a Game One Bowl win. Before his time at Iowa Central, Walker was a basketball and football player at Grinnell High School.
An obituary published on the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory website called Walker “tremendous in every way, from his physical frame to his heart for his family, friends and faith, to the impact he left on countless people that will last for decades.”
“Those who knew him best saw within his powerful stature a playful, fun-loving boy, a humble spirit and an incredible work ethic,” the obituary reads.
A funeral service will be held at Grinnell Christian Church on Wednesday, January 14th. Walker’s family asks those in attendance to wear a golf or beach vacation shirt in his honor.