Mary Boyte
On Sunday, Oct. 16, in the early hours between midnight and morning, Ole Miss students Walker Fielder, 21, and Blanche Williamson, 20, were victims of a hit and run in the parking lot behind City Hall. Both victims were rushed to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, where Fielder succumbed to his injuries. Williamson was taken to Regional One Health in Memphis, Tenn., where she continues to be treated.
Fielder, a member of Sigma Chi and the fraternity’s rush leader, was well-known and well-loved on the Ole Miss campus. Hours before the incident, Fielder turned 21.
Friends and family attended a visitation and funeral Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 19 in Jackson, Miss.
Gigi Yoste, an Ole Miss student and one of Fielder’s closest friends, described Fielder as the type of person everyone strives to be.
“He had a contagious personality that drew people from all over closer together,” Yoste said. “He was by far the goofiest human I’ve had the pleasure to know. From his funny dance moves to his silly sayings, he always made others laugh. Walker always had a smile on his face, and he had a unique way of making others feel special.”
Yoste and Fielder have had different relationships since they met during their sophomore year of high school. Moving from a friendship to a romantic relationship back to a friendship, Yoste and Fielder always remained best friends.
“Although I have had different relationships with Walker throughout the past few years, he was ultimately and most importantly, one of the very best friends I, and many others, have ever had,” Yoste said.
Yoste said Fielder had a love for others that was felt by everyone he knew.
“Walker Fielder was real. He never tried to be someone that he wasn’t. Always loyal and kind and never met a stranger. He was a man of good character and truly loved everyone,” Yoste said. “We are all better people because of the impact Walker had in our lives.”
Lizzy Childress was one of Fielder’s oldest friends. Childress considered Fielder to be “her person” and said she is grateful for his friendship.
“I truly don’t remember a time when he wasn’t a part of my life. We both grew up in the Sheffield area. Our original crew consisted of Sydney Guy, Ashlie Henderson, Sara Evelyn McClintock, Will Thomas, Cyrus Manning and Walker. We were nicknamed the ‘Sheffield crew’,” Childress said.
Childress, like Yoste, lovingly referred to Fielder as “goofy” and someone who never met a stranger.
“Walker was simply the best. He was goofy, kind and made any serious situation light-hearted. He was the kind of guy who never met a stranger. He loved his people hard and never left a conversation without telling me he loved me. I was so lucky to be loved by him,” Childress said.
Childress said she hopes people remember Walker’s well-known smile and positive outlook.
“That boy always had the biggest smile on his face. I think everyone should try to be more like him in the way he never took a day for granted and truly lived life to the fullest. I can’t wait to get a big Fielder hug again one day,” Childress said.
Sydney Guy and Zipporah Hawkins were also among Fielder’s oldest and closest friends. Responding together to the DM, Guy and Hawkins said they had walked through every stage of life with him. They remember him as genuine and selfless.
“Walker was the most genuine person we knew. He was by far the most selfless person and would drop anything he was doing to be there for someone else. His energy and smile was contagious. He never failed to be the light in all of our lives. We love and miss him so much, and there will never be a day that goes by that we won’t think about him,” Guy and Zipporah said.
Black ribbons gently sway in the cold breeze on the columns of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. The loss of Fielder radiates throughout the campus. Out of this tragedy, his friends believe comes a reminder to live everyday like Fielder did.
“Walker lived every single day like it was his last. He made everyone around him feel so loved and happy,” Guy and Zipporah said. “If we learn anything from this tragedy, we have to live like Walker did. He was just truly the most beautiful soul, and we were so blessed to be loved by him.”
