USA First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff

Dear Governor Kelly,
My name is Hailey Knoll. My precious son, Ethan Scott Knoll, passed away from fentanyl
poisoning on March 21, 2023, at the age of 22.
Ethan graduated from Holcomb High School in 2019 and went on to study welding at Garden
City Community College. He enjoyed motocross, trapshooting, football, baseball, bowling,
listening to music, the lake, hunting, fishing, family get-togethers, his many friends, and
watching the Garden City Wind baseball team. He also enjoyed volunteering to take K9 bites
to the Garden City Police K9 program.
Ethan was an avid KU and Chiefs fan. He spent most of his weekends with his girlfriend,
Autumn Wadley. Together, they enjoyed being with family, going out to eat, playing board
games, cooking and dancing in the kitchen, watching movies with popcorn and staying up
late like little kids.
Ethan always had a smile on his face and had a contagious laugh. He was a strong advocate
for the underdog and was always there for the people who needed him the most. He had a
huge heart and took especially good care of his niece, Raeli, by spoiling her and learning to
be the best uncle. He was also a beloved son, brother, and grandson.
Ethan enjoyed working on the family farm, Knoll, Inc., after school. He was working at Pete’s
Place in Dighton as a bartender, server, and cook at the time of his death. He made many
friends working behind the bar at Pete’s and enjoyed every moment.
His first use of pills occurred in 2018 as an occasional “party drug”. As the pills became
harder for him to find, his dealers introduced him to heroin and then to fentanyl. His life of
addiction began at the age of 19. Once he learned how deadly fentanyl was, he understood
the need for recovery and worked hard toward that goal.
The last five months of his life were his most successful. He had a job he loved, a girlfriend
he loved, and a family he loved, all of whom loved him back. Unfortunately, Ethan found
himself back with his dealers while out running errands. He had a fatal relapse that day.
We are so proud of how hard he fought the addiction, and so shattered that his efforts weren’t
enough in the end. Please help us honor those that were taken by fentanyl poisoning too
soon. A Memorial Wall is a great way to do that.
We will love and miss him forever.
Sincerely,
Hailey Knoll, Ethan’s mom; forever 22
Garden City, Kansas