The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Fairborn grad dies from beating injuries

Christopher Kernich

Photos: Ex-Fairborn star dies after beating
Share your condolences for Christopher Kernich At legacy.com

New pool at 'The Heights' opens
5/27/12
Huber Heights suing consultant for more than $50,000
5/26/12
4 arrested for OVI at Kettering checkpoint
5/26/12
Man found dead at bar; police seek suspect
5/26/12
Turner adopts role for Romney campaign
5/26/12
> More headlines

By Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer Updated 11:00 AM Monday, November 23, 2009

FAIRBORN — Christopher Kernich, the 2005 Fairborn High School graduate who was severely beaten a week ago near the Kent State University campus, died Saturday, Nov. 21.

He was pronounced dead at 4:30 p.m. at Akron City Hospital, Kent police said.

Share your condolences for Chris Kernich

As a 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior at Fairborn High School, Kernich played football, baseball and basketball.

Fairborn football coach Roy Thobe said former players called him Saturday evening to notify him of the former wide receiver’s death.

The 23-year-old Kent State University student had been beaten about 2:20 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, after he and two friends got into an altercation with some men in a car.

“When the situation came down and happened, it was kind of hard to believe,” he said. “I was hoping for the best. Things didn’t work out the way we wanted.”

Thobe remembered Kernich as “a good kid and a real good football player.”

Fairborn Mayor-elect Joan Dautel, the school’s former athletic director, said, “I certainly hope our justice system doesn’t mess this one up. To me, it’s murder and a shameless and senseless act.”

Two indicted; further charges possible

A grand jury on Thursday indicted Ronald G. Kelly, 20, and Adrian A. Barker, 21, of Akron, on felonious assault.

Kent Police Lt. John Altomare said Saturday night the investigation continues and further charges are possible. He expected detectives to meet with prosecutors on Monday.

Police said the assault occurred after the car was pulling out of a parking lot and nearly struck a group of people walking that included Kernich. The car continued down the street until the driver parked in a driveway. As Kernich’s group walked by, the suspects confronted them and assaulted three of them, police said.

Kernich was found lying on the ground unconscious when emergency workers arrived on a report of an assault in progress, police said.

An outpouring  of support

Kernich’s friend and fellow Kent State student, Sara Syroka, said from the hospital Saturday afternoon that hundreds of people had visited him in the last week. Hoping for a recovery, many friends whispered encouraging words to Kernich and gathered together in prayer.

“It’s been horrible but the support and prayers have been phenomenal,” she said.

Hearing that Kernich was a huge Buckeye fan, Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel called his hospital room Friday and they put the phone to his ear, according to Kelley Kunkle-Grody, a Fairborn parent who has known Kernich’s parents, John and Sherry, for 30 years.

Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Chad Ochocinco called Kernich’s room Saturday night, unaware that Kernich had died, and spoke to his mother, she said.

Fairborn City Schools spokeswoman Pam Gayheart said about 70 students from Kent State and the Fairborn area “were with him at the hospital when he passed away.”

Gayheart was among about 100 people who took part in a candlelight vigil at the high school about 8 p.m. Saturday. Mourners gathered around a spirit rock in front of the school that had been painted earlier to say, “Pray for Chris.”

Kunkle-Grody led them in the Lord’s Prayer.

She had hoped they would be able to gather around the rock celebrating his waking from a coma.

“We had thousands of people across the country praying for him, thanks to social networking sites,” said, Kunkle-Grody, whose daughter Brooke, 19, was among the students at the hospital when he was declared brain dead and removed from a ventilator.

“It’s such a heartbreaking tragedy and the shock of him not making it,” Kunkle-Grody said.

Gayheart said the “amount of support from the Fairborn community as soon has it happened, has been incredible.”

Kernich’s mother had told the Daily Kent Stater newspaper that she was working in Iraq as a housekeeping supervisor for a contractor that maintains the U.S. Embassy when she learned of her son’s injuries. She arrived in Ohio Tuesday and was “blown away” by the support her son received.

A Facebook group called “Christopher Kernich — We are Behind You” had more than 2,400 members and hundreds of wall posts.

After learning of his death, many began expressing condolences on the page, which had become a memorial to the young man.

A benefit to help the family with medical and funeral expenses will be held from 5-11:30 p.m. Monday at Cadillac Jacks Sports Bar and Grill, 1156 Kauffman Ave.

Kernich was a star on the football field

Kernich had one of the most prolific seasons ever for an area receiver as a senior in 2004. Quarterback Nico Yantko’s favorite target, Kernich totaled 1,240 yards receiving, good for a 23.9 per catch average and 21 touchdowns. All those totals led the area.

The speedy wideout had 52 receptions that season, but broke a leg in the fourth quarter of the Skyhawks’ final game. The injury forced him to miss the following basketball season.

Kernich was a junior studying pre-business management at Kent State.

The university President Lester A. Lefton issued a statement Saturday after his death, which he called “a senseless tragedy.”

“Chris’ death is a tragic reminder that violence, whether provoked or unprovoked—regardless of the reason, is never the answer,” he said in the statement.” May we learn something from this incident, for our own sake and in Chris’ memory.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2094 or mkissell@DaytonDailyNews.com. Staff writer Marc Pendleton contributed to this report.

Share this article