Community Reacts to Dustin Chamberlain's Tragic Death
By: Marissa Stevens
Updated: December 15, 2011
The news of Dustin Chamberlain's tragic death spread quickly in his tight-knit community.
Those who knew Dustin Chamberlain call him a devoted Christian and an all around stand-up guy.
"I'll always remember his smile. He just smiled about everything," said Steve Matchell, basketball coach at Siloam Springs High School.
"He was someone that I think loved life...He was very well liked and respected by his teachers and faculty, and his peers," said Charlie Abernathy, Principal at Siloam Springs High School.
Dustin Chamberlain was a passionate and popular guy. He was a 2010 graduate of Siloam Springs High School and a Varsity basketball player. Dustin was voted 'Outstanding Senior' by his peers, and he no doubt left an impression on everyone he met.
"You couldn't find anybody in Siloam Springs or anywhere else I don't think that would say a bad word about Dustin Chamberlain," said Abernathy.
Dustin was a sophomore at Baylor University. He hoped to become a doctor, and had just earned a 4.0 GPA for his fall semester.
"He was a wonderful kid, he worked hard, he was extremely bright, but he also was someone that put a lot of effort and energy into his studies and being the best that he could be," said Abernathy.
Those who knew Dustin say he was proud of where he came from, and wanted to make a difference.
"He enjoyed just being positive. He enjoyed doing good. He enjoyed being a good kid...People looked up to Dustin because of who he was, not because of what he could do, not because of what he had, but because of the kind of person he was," said Matchell.
