Senior Jeremy Frye had a winning smile – a smile so wide and powerful that people remembered it. Even as the 23 year old lay comatose in his hospital bed, people remembered it.

“He just had this big, wonderful smile,” Peggy Harris, vice president and dean of the School of Education, said. Frye worked with Harris during his time in the education department at Baker, studying to be a teacher.

Frye, raised in Overland Park, continued to smile during conversations among friends in his hospital room at the Olathe Medical Center, when he could no longer speak or see. <br/>"There was a time when some of his lacrosse friends were in his room, and they were telling stories and jokes," his father, Harold Frye, said. "I looked over at Jeremy, and he had a smile on his face.""There was a time when some of his lacrosse friends were in his room, and they were telling stories and jokes," his father, Harold Frye, said. "I looked over at Jeremy, and he had a smile on his face."
“There was a time when some of his lacrosse friends were in his room, and they were telling stories and jokes,” his father, Harold Frye, said. “I looked over at Jeremy, and he had a smile on his face.”

For Baker University students, his smile is one quality they will hold onto.<br/>"Jeremy's laugh was contagious," senior Katelin Spear said. "He always laughed at the right moments, and he knew how to cheer people up.""Jeremy's laugh was contagious," senior Katelin Spear said. "He always laughed at the right moments, and he knew how to cheer people up."
“Jeremy’s laugh was contagious,” senior Katelin Spear said. “He always laughed at the right moments, and he knew how to cheer people up.”

When Jeremy Frye was diagnosed with his first brain tumor nearly four years ago, his parents hoped he could beat the disease.

“When he had his first tumor, we kept him at Johnson County Community College so he would be here at home,” his father said.

Then Jeremy Frye, who was interested in music, located the music department.

“He found the department and walked in and announced to them that he was going to go there and be a music education major.”

Since that day, Harold Frye said his son remained active within the department.<br/>"We always enjoyed following him around in his activities," he said. "We went to all of his concerts.""We always enjoyed following him around in his activities," he said. "We went to all of his concerts."
“We always enjoyed following him around in his activities,” he said. “We went to all of his concerts.”

Jeremy Frye was set to graduate last May with a music education degree.

“He completed his first eight weeks,” his father said.

A wedding to remember<br/>Harold Frye spotted a silver band on Jamie Wynkoop's finger, while they were alone in his son's room.Harold Frye spotted a silver band on Jamie Wynkoop's finger, while they were alone in his son's room.
Harold Frye spotted a silver band on Jamie Wynkoop’s finger, while they were alone in his son’s room.

“I asked her if that was Jeremy’s wedding band,” he said. “She said no, she wasn’t that courageous. I told her she was the most courageous person I’ve met in a long time.”

The next day, Wynkoop, who met her fiancé at JCCC, brought the band to his room.<br/>She knew after he had a seizure April 30 and slipped into a deep sleep, he'd never wake up again.She knew after he had a seizure April 30 and slipped into a deep sleep, he'd never wake up again.
She knew after he had a seizure April 30 and slipped into a deep sleep, he’d never wake up again.

“At this point in time, we had figured out that he was not going to get better,” Wynkoop said. “We had already purchased our wedding bands.”

Realizing his son would not make it to the couple’s wedding, which was scheduled for this past summer, his father suggested the two get married anyway.

“Our minister is just wonderful and creative,” Harold Frye said. “He did a ring ceremony. There were 20 to 25 people crowded into the intensive care unit. It was very special.”

The ceremony was particularly special to Jeremy Frye.

“We are not legally married, but in the eyes of God, we are,” Wynkoop said. “During the ring ceremony, I do believe his eyes were wide open. They had not been. He had tears going down his face.”

Wynkoop said he also squeezed her hand once the pastor said the last prayer.<br/>"That was the last time he did anything like that," she said."That was the last time he did anything like that," she said.
“That was the last time he did anything like that,” she said.

Graduation day<br/>Days after Jeremy Frye died, Harris sent a card to his parents. Days after Jeremy Frye died, Harris sent a card to his parents. <br/>In it she wrote that he was kind and friendly, inspiring and fun. She wrote that he would have made a wonderful teacher, that his death was a loss to the profession.In it she wrote that he was kind and friendly, inspiring and fun. She wrote that he would have made a wonderful teacher, that his death was a loss to the profession.<br/>Before he died, Harris participated in a diploma presentation ceremony, where she pronounced him a graduate of Baker University.Before he died, Harris participated in a diploma presentation ceremony, where she pronounced him a graduate of Baker University.
Days after Jeremy Frye died, Harris sent a card to his parents.
In it she wrote that he was kind and friendly, inspiring and fun. She wrote that he would have made a wonderful teacher, that his death was a loss to the profession.
Before he died, Harris participated in a diploma presentation ceremony, where she pronounced him a graduate of Baker University.

“I know it had been his parents’ wish that he would be able to participate in May graduation,” Harris said. “We all felt that it might be comforting to his family to provide a little closure. I think in times like this, maybe there are actions that happen that bring comfort that we don’t know why.”

Saying goodbye<br/>People wept as they sat in the church pews June 16 at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Overland Park.People wept as they sat in the church pews June 16 at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Overland Park.
People wept as they sat in the church pews June 16 at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Overland Park.

His classmate, Spear, was one of them. She was there throughout his illness, there the weekend before he died.

“I came to the hospital to say goodbye to him,” Spear said. “I wanted to tell him that I loved him, and that I was there with him the whole time.”

People still cry – his fiancée, his mother, Carol, his father. They all cry.<br/>They cry and they remember.They cry and they remember.
They cry and they remember.

“I went and had a bridal portrait taken of my dress,” Wynkoop said. “He has two nieces that are four and almost two. I’m going to save the dress and see if either one of them would want to wear it when they get married.”

Parts of Jeremy Frye remain behind, perhaps only as distant memories.

“At the diploma presentation, he just had this big wonderful smile,” Harris said. “That was just so much of who he was.”