Friends of Kyle Trosky said they will never forget his contagious smile, his sense of humor and his special-recipe hamburgers.
During the summers, freshman Shannon Hart, who considered Trosky a second big brother, said he would grill hamburgers for everyone at her brother's house in Muncie.
"He makes the best hamburgers ever," she said. "He used secret spices from Canada, and he might have mixed in some red wine in with the meat."
Trosky, a junior business major, was killed in a weekend car accident in Florida. He was born July 8, 1981 in Canada, according to a news release from Carmel High School.
Hart said Trosky was always proud of his Canadian roots.
Junior Adam Knott said he met Trosky for the first time when he was in elementary school after Trosky's family moved to Carmel.
Knott said that Trosky never lost his Canadian accent or his love of hockey. The two played hockey together since elementary school.
"He loved hockey," Knott said. "He was a great outgoing guy with a lot of friends."
Junior Ryan Hart, who has known Trosky since junior high school, said he was a true friend.
"He loved to make everyone else happy," he said.
Trosky was a goalie for the Ball State Roller Hockey team, sophomore Ian Stikeleather said.
Although he said he had only know Trosky for two years, Stikeleather said he had admired him since high school because he considered him a leader on and off the hockey rink.
"He's got an ability to relax everybody and put them at ease," Stikeleather said. "He was honestly one of the nicest guys on the team. There wasn't anyone who didn't like him on the team."
Hart said that Trosky was warm-hearted and had a re-assuring presence to everyone he met.
"When he gives you a hug, he makes you feel safe," Hart said. "He's got that warmness about him."
Sophomore Hayley Barger said she could always count on Trosky if she needed any help. Last week while they were on a Spring Break trip in South Beach Miami, Fla., Barger said she called Trosky because she didn't want to take a taxi cab.
Trosky came to pick Barger and her friend up within minutes, she said.
"He was always right there when you needed him," Barger said. "He was a nice guy who cared about everyone."
In high school, Trosky was a member of Key Club, an international service organization, and the school's marking program.
Carmel English teacher Kim Kercheval said Trosky was a dedicated student.
"He was a wonderful young man," Kercheval said. "I loved to hear him talk. He had a wonderful voice. He was from Canada, and I always told him he sounded like Peter Jennings."
To his friends, Trosky was more like a "big teddy bear" Barger said.
"He'll be missed," Barger said. "We've missed him since we found out about his death."
Trosky's funeral is at 3 p.m. on Friday at the Robertson Chapel in St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Carmel.
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