Paden Castles Kelley, 28, a resident of Crested Butte, CO and a native of Austin, TX was born on August 7, 1990 and died on March 18th, 2019. Paden made the mountain town his home for the past two and a half years after spending family summers and ski seasons there throughout his childhood. After graduating from Lake Travis High School in 2009, Paden played football for the University of Texas at Austin, completing his degree in 2016. After battling addiction throughout his early adult life, Paden became an active member in sober communities in both Texas and Colorado. Paden was diagnosed with Stage 3 testicular cancer in December of 2018 and successfully completed chemotherapy treatment just days before his tragic passing. His family and friends hope to create a kid's ski school scholarship in his honor to memorialize the sport, spirit, and students he so loved. He is survived by his parents, Mary Beth and Scott Kelley; his sister, Kathryn Kelley; his wider Barber and Kelley families; and his created family of close friends. He lived life large and loud and made an indelible mark on countless people. Those of you who knew him are invited to the celebration of life memorials. Crested Butte Celebration: Sunday, April 7 at 11AM. We are working to secure a large ballroom up at the ski resort and we are going to decorate it in true Ya Boy PK style. We're going to celebrate and then we are going to encourage as many of you as are so inclined to spend the rest of the day skiing your you-know-what off. Austin Celebration: Saturday, April 20 at 2PM. Location will be the beautiful Garden Grove event venue in Buda, Texas.
Wow, this is very sad and shocking news. Scott was my boss about 20 years ago and the Kelleys attended our church in Dripping Springs for a time before they moved home to Lockhart.
Paden Kelley trivia: He is named for Kevin Kline's character in "Silverado" as that was Mary Beth's favorite movie.
His middle name is Castles, named after the mountain in Colorado his family's cabin overlooks. He didn't like his name until he found out Castles was a chick magnet. He entered the Kansas State game after Ulatoski went out with a concussion. The game was a disaster, but Mack called Paden out as the only bright spot of the entire game. He started the next week against Oklahoma State. A Dallas Morning News sports reporter said he had the best block of any lineman in that game than he had seen all season. Probably what McHammer is remembering, Paden went in on the last drive of the A&M game. His block cleared the McCoy scramble that got enough yardage for the game winning field goal and eternal scoreboard over A&M. He also went down field to block and hit an A&M player right at the whistle. Everybody cringed. He just shrugged and said "coach said play to the whistle. Whistle hadn't blown yet." The last few years he was a ski instructor in Crested Butte, Colorado. He taught a group of local kids, whom he absolutely loved. And they loved him. He will be missed.
Great information, very cool moments, thank you facing addiction. And you might possibly have the best user name on this board.
I read of this on another site. Condolences for this horrible news. Some things are just bad and you have to just keep moving. Terrible.
I’m so sorry. His triumph over addiction is an example for everyone who struggles with that particular demon. And he went on to do positive things for other people’s children! He will truly be missed. May God hold his family and friends in the palm of His hand ...
