STILLWATER, OKLA. FRIDAY, OCT. 29, 2021
Pete’s pick-up
An unlikely friendship formed out of tragedy
Courtsey of Kena Hawkins Kena and Joshua Hawkins settled in Stillwater, where they are regular attendees to Oklahoma State’s Homecoming celebration.
Homecoming and hitched Anna Pope News Editor
Courtesy of Collett Campbell
Courtesy of Collett Campbell Alleyn Cambell was taken to the hospital by Taylor Collins, Pistol Pete, after the Homecoming parade crash - Campbell is now a member of Oklahoma State’s marching band.
cal Center, when Campbell saw a Pistol Pete sticker on the truck window. The college-aged “lunatic” who had just driven her son to the hospital was Taylor Collins, better known as Pistol Pete, the famed mascot of Oklahoma State University. Ben Hutchens Collins was perfectly sane, in Digital Editor fact. To make room for Alleyn, Collins took his fiberglass Pistol Pete head out Collett Campbell faced a moof his truck. ment of panic sitting in the backseat of Alleyn was one of 46 people a stranger’s truck. injured when a car plowed into the She thought she had just trusted crowd at the 2015 Oklahoma State her son’s life to a lunatic. University homecoming parade. He The person driving Campbell, was 12 at the time and required surand her son, Alleyn, who sat in the gery on his leg as recently as March truck bed behind her on a blanket that 2020. Campbell just began his freshdid little to lessen the pain of a disman year at Oklahoma State, plays located hip and fractured leg, said he the tuba in the marching band and had taken off his head and left it with a still thinks about the crash, but thinks group of cheerleaders. about it positively because of his “I’m like, ‘Oh my God. I’m with friendship developed with Collins. some kind of crazy person,’’’ Camp-bell said. “I don’t know what (taking Brief pleasantries were exoff my head) means. And I’m riding in changed in the moment Collins ofa truck.” fered his truck as transportation for Things made more sense after a spectators injured in the crash, but seven-minute ride to Stillwater Medi- the Campbells did not formally meet
Collins until he visited the hospital the night of the crash after serving as Pistol Pete in the football game against Kansas. When Campbell told her son Collins was going to visit him, Campbell didn’t know who she was talking about. “My mom’s like, ‘This person who transported you in their truck.’ I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I probably should meet him,’” Alleyn said. Collins said he remembers walking into the hospital room and thinking Alleyn was more beat up than he initially thought. It wasn’t too emotional of a meeting. After all, what can one say after such an out of body experience. “I introduced myself and figured I’d just get to know him a little bit, so we talked,” Collins said. “It was funny, (Alleyn) was like, ‘Thanks, by the way.’ I said, ‘You’re welcome bud, no problem.’”
See Pick-up on 6A
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Friday the 13 has a history of being a day full of good memories for Joshua and Kena Hawkins. Planning two weeks in advance, Joshua proposed to his then girlfriend, Kena, in front of Edmon Low Library’s orange fountain during Oklahoma State’s Homecoming on that infamous day in 2017. However, when Joshua got off work that Friday, a friend sent him a picture and, for a moment, it presented a problem. See Water on 7A
Inside... Chili...................................................... 3A Campus organizations competed for the best chili this week.
Football................................................ 3A Oklahoma State students have a variety of favorite homecoming memories.
Royalty..................................................4A Parker Smith and Amarie Griffeth are Homecoming queen and king for the centennial celebration.
Traveling...............................................4A From driving seven hours to flying for six hours, people are traveling great distances to Oklahoma State’s Homecoming.
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