Remembering Ole Miss freshmen Samuel Clayton Kelly, Bryant Mason Wilbanks and Charles Walker Kelly, who died in a 2011 crash near Vaiden, Mississippi. Their legacy continues through a memorial scholarship. Remembering Three Beloved Ole Miss Freshmen The University of Mississippi community continues to remember Samuel Clayton Kelly, Bryant Mason Wilbanks and Charles Walker Kelly, three lifelong friends whose lives were cut short in a car accident on October 30, 2011. The young men were returning to Oxford when their vehicle left Interstate 55 north of Jackson and crashed onto Highway 35 near Vaiden, Mississippi. All three were natives of Madison, Mississippi, and graduates of Madison Central High School. They attended Broadmoor Baptist Church, enrolled at the University of Mississippi, commonly known as Ole Miss, and joined Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. Their friendship and shared experiences created lasting connections among classmates, family members, fraternity brothers and the wider university community. According to the supplied article, Samuel Clayton Kelly was 18, while Bryant Mason Wilbanks and Charles Walker Kelly were 19 at the time of the crash. These ages are retained from the provided account. Details of the Fatal I-55 Crash Near Vaiden The accident occurred on the morning of October 30, 2011. University of Mississippi Foundation accounts describe the vehicle veering off Interstate 55 before crashing onto Highway 35 below. All three students died in the accident. The official university accounts reviewed confirm the crash and the students’ deaths, though they do not provide all the detailed reconstruction included in the supplied article. Their deaths brought profound grief to their families, friends, church community and fellow students. In the days that followed, the Ole Miss community came together to support the families and honor the three young men whose university experiences had only just begun. A Memorial Scholarship Preserves Their Legacy Their legacy continues through the Charles Walker Kelly, Samuel Clayton Kelly and Bryant Mason Wilbanks Memorial Scholarship Endowment. Established with support from their families, friends and Kappa Alpha Order, the fund helps future students at Ole Miss. In April 2025, the University of Mississippi Foundation reported that the endowment had grown to more than $500,000. Though their lives were tragically brief, the three friends remain remembered through the enduring support of their families and the opportunities created in their names. Obituary Summary: Three Ole Miss Students Names: Samuel Clayton Kelly, Bryant Mason Wilbanks and Charles Walker Kelly Ages: 18, 19 and 19, respectively, according to the supplied article Hometown: Madison, Mississippi University: University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Date of accident: October 30, 2011 Location: Interstate 55 and Highway 35 near Vaiden, Mississippi Reported cause of death: Fatal motor vehicle crash Memorial: Charles Walker Kelly, Samuel Clayton Kelly and Bryant Mason Wilbanks Memorial Scholarship Endowment Disclaimer: This tribute is based on the supplied article and published University of Mississippi Foundation and Ole Miss sources. Some crash details and ages are taken from the supplied account and are not independently confirmed by the university sources cited here. Share this... Facebook Pinterest Twitter Linkedin Threads Post navigation Firle Police Shooting: Woman Dies After Officers Respond to Axe Report in Adelaide Pleasant Grove High School Stabbing Investigation: Elk Grove Police Respond to Campus Incident