In the rural heart of Hodgeman County, Kansas, a devastating tragedy has struck, leaving a family shattered and a community in mourning. On a seemingly ordinary Wednesday afternoon, August 20, 2025, a catastrophic collision at the intersection of T Road and 231 Road, just a few miles east of Jetmore, claimed the life of 13-year-old William Thompson, a vibrant young boy from Hanston whose light was extinguished far too soon.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reports that the accident occurred around 3:25 p.m., painting a stark picture of a moment where seconds changed lives forever. A Kenworth semi-truck, lumbering westbound on T Road, approached the fateful intersection. According to investigators, the 76-year-old driver from Hanston failed to yield the right-of-way, a decision that set the stage for tragedy. Barreling through the crossing, the semi collided with a southbound Dodge Dakota, driven by William’s 16-year-old brother.
The impact was catastrophic. The Dodge spun violently, its frame twisting under the force, before coming to a haunting stop, facing south in the aftermath. The semi-truck, unscathed in comparison, continued west before halting. Inside the Dodge, the scene was one of heartbreak. William, a passenger in the pickup, suffered critical injuries. Alongside him, his 16-year-old brother and their 9-year-old sister were also gravely hurt, their lives hanging in the balance. The trio was rushed to nearby hospitals, where medical teams fought to save them. Tragically, William’s injuries proved too severe, and on Friday, August 22, 2025, he passed away, leaving behind a void that words cannot capture.
The driver of the semi-truck emerged physically unharmed, but the weight of the incident is sure to linger. The Kansas Highway Patrol continues its investigation, piecing together the details of this heartrending event to understand how such a calamity unfolded on a quiet rural road. For now, the facts point to a failure to yield, a stark reminder of how a single moment of oversight can ripple into unimaginable loss.
William’s family, grappling with grief and the ongoing medical battles of his siblings, has turned to their community for support. A GoFundMe page has been established, a beacon of hope amidst the sorrow, aimed at easing the financial burden of medical expenses and recovery for the surviving brother and sister. Their injuries, described as serious, will require extensive care, and the road to healing—both physical and emotional—will be long.
In Hanston, a tight-knit community where everyone knows their neighbors, the loss of William has sent shockwaves. He was more than a name in a news report; he was a son, a brother, a friend—a boy with dreams, a smile that could light up a room, and a future stolen too soon. As the people of Hodgeman County rally around the Thompson family, they are reminded of the fragility of life and the critical importance of vigilance on the roads.
This tragedy underscores a sobering truth: intersections, often overlooked in their simplicity, can become stages for life-altering moments. The call to prioritize safety—yielding the right-of-way, staying alert, and respecting the rules of the road—echoes louder than ever. For William, for his siblings, and for a community forever changed, this is a lesson written in sorrow, one that demands we all take heed to prevent another family from enduring such unimaginable pain.