SHAWNEE, Kan. — Friends and family are mourning the loss of 17-year-old Will Ensley, who was killed in a chain-reaction crash along Metcalf Avenue on July 26.
Ensley was set to start his senior year at Shawnee Mission Northwest in the fall.
“I’m so lucky to have been able to know and love him,” said his girlfriend, Josie Malara. “There’s just never enough words to describe how important he was to everyone.”
To know and to love Ensley guaranteed a lifetime of loyalty. Malara says his natural demeanor was reserved and humble, but he would go out of his way to help anyone in need.
“All he ever wanted to do was break records and help people,” said Malara.
As team captains of the school's swim teams, Malara and Ensley bonded over competitive swimming, but she says he was so much more than his athletic accomplishments.
Out of the water, his competitive nature shined in the classroom as Ensley set his eyes on computer science.
“Will was a coach’s dream, you know? I never had to worry about him — his grades, his effort in practice, I already knew what kind of Will I was gonna get,” said his long-time swim coach, Ryan Lee.
Lee was Ensley’s swim coach since he was seven years old. He says it has been an honor to watch him grow and walk alongside him in his athletic journey.
“Senior year, we were gonna go there and do amazing things,” said Lee. “I’m just heartbroken that we didn’t get to finish the job.”
Full of life, full of passion and full of potential. Malara and Lee says there will never be enough words to describe the love for Ensley.
“We love him and we always will,” said Malara.
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