The Sissonville community is in deep sorrow over the tragic passing of 17-year-old Wylie Wilkinson, a cherished and promising student at Sissonville High School, whose life was abruptly ended on November 19, 2025. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office has verified Wylie’s identity after the fatal single-vehicle accident on Rocky Fork Road — an event that has indelibly altered the lives of family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

The incident took place in the 7100 block of Rocky Fork Road while Wylie was en route from Sissonville to Cross Lanes. Investigators reported that the vehicle swerved into the left lane and subsequently made a sudden correction, leading it to veer off the road. Unfortunately, it fell into a ravine, landed on its side, and collided with a tree. Metro Communications received alerts both from a passing motorist and an Apple crash notification, but despite the quick response, Wylie was declared dead at the location.

While the specifics of the accident depict a sudden and tragic occurrence, Wylie’s life tells a far different story — one filled with generosity, promise, joy, and affection. Wylie was not merely a name in an article; he was a vibrant teenager brimming with life, enthusiasm, and aspirations that reached well beyond the confines of Sissonville High School. Friends express that he had the ability to illuminate any space merely with his smile, making others feel accepted, appreciated, and understood. Educators recall him as respectful, diligent, and full of potential, a youth who had already begun mapping out his future.

At Sissonville High School, the atmosphere feels subdued now. Students and faculty are coping with the unexpected loss of a peer whose influence had been felt by so many. Counselors are available as the school community leans on each other, exchanging stories, tears, and support. In the days ahead, it is inevitable that recollections of Wylie’s compassion, enthusiasm, and spirit will continue to surface — each one a tribute to the mark he left in just 17 brief years.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office has expressed its sincerest condolences to Wylie’s family and has acknowledged the deep sorrow experienced by his friends, classmates, and the wider community. Their empathy and recognition highlight the extent of how this incident resonates throughout the region.

As family, friends, and community members embark on their healing journey, they do so by cherishing the memories that defined Wylie — the laughter, the journeys, the achievements, and even the simple moments that now hold great significance. Although his life was cut short far too early, Wylie’s legacy continues within the hearts he impacted, the happiness he spread, and the love that will always envelop his memory.

You will forever be remembered. Your spirit endures in each life you illuminated, every heart you comforted, and every cherished memory held by those who cared for you. May your family discover solace, may your friends attain peace, and may your community find resilience as they pay tribute to your beautiful existence and bid farewell far too early.