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A long-lasting legacy: Bennett touched the hearts of many - and continues to do so - throughout his life
Stuart Bennett, known as Stu by his friends and family, is among the most decorated distance runners in Northview school history.
Bennett was a four- time cross county state qualifier, four- time cross country sectional team champion and four-time cross country team regional champion. He was a Western Indiana Conference cross country individual champion and track and field state finalist in the 4x800 relay. Bennett is the current Northview High School record holder in the 4x 800 relay and the fifth fastest all-time cross country runner in Northview’s history. He was also the Class of 2022’s valedictorian.
And while his running accolades are impressive, it was the person he was – and how he treated others – during his 19 years that had more than 200 people lining the hallways of Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis for Bennett’s honor walk for patients that choose to donate their organs.
Bennett suffered life-threatening injuries in a single car accident on June 18 and passed away a few days later, leaving hundreds of people in and around the Clay County area grieving the loss of one of their own.
In an effort to honor the long-lasting legacy Bennett leaves behind, the Brazil Times spoke with 25 different people, all of whom shared stories and memories, as well as words that describe Bennett, that they will forever cherish for the rest of their respective lives. Each of them are listed below:
Kind-hearted
“I coached Stu at many levels in multiple sports growing up with my kids. He always had a kind heart and a big smile. Always eager to learn and was the most coachable kid on the team. He had the energy of two energizer bunnies put into one. When he focused on running as he grew older and stepped away from the stick and ball sports, I was saddened because of the positives he added to the team he was a part of. Always a leader and role model.” – Brad Wallace
Encourager
“At Edgewood, during conference, Stu sacrificed his finish to help a teammate finish the race by running with him. I can’t remember if the other runner was hurt physically or just not having a good race, but Stu knew he was important to the team and he raced the last part of the race, encouraging him and willing him to finish strong. Stu was doing the best for the team and thinking about the big picture for the team and not just himself.” – Bryan Strain
Room Brightener
“Stu was my best friend since sixth grade, but he was honestly more like a brother though. He was like another brother to my brothers and another kid to my parents. He always knew how to make you laugh or brighten up your day. His presence was felt in every room he stepped into, and he always made everyone feel at home. He’ll always be my favorite pickup teammate and our little and big duo will live on forever.” – Jacob Fowler
Generous
“I’ve always known Stu because he lived across the street from me my whole life, but I never really interacted a lot with him. He had come to my house a few times because our moms are friends, but I didn’t really talk to him. Around football season this year, I wanted to go to a football game with my best friend Gracie, and Stu was taking her, so he said, ‘Of course you can ride along with them.’ We all got in the car and we jammed the whole way listening to all of our favorite songs and dancing. After the game, me and Gracie and Stu and his roommate all go to a pizza place in Bloomington where I realized I forgot my money in the car. Stu, being the generous guy he is, offers to pay for all of us – because that’s who he is. He was always willing to help out anyone who needed it, even if it was someone he barely knew. That was the first time I’d really met Stuart and found out how amazing of a friend he is.” – Aneka Maurer
Taco Bell Enthusiast
“Stu was such a great young man and he absolutely loved Taco Bell. He came in nearly every day and our whole team really supported his accomplishments in high school. He supported us too. He had the Taco Bell logo put on his senior chords, so we decided to give him a free box every time he came in. He was a great role model to the young kids in this town and will be missed dearly.” – Kim Cozzi-Hensley
Loving
“Stu was so kind and loving. The memory I would like to share is when Stu had told me that he loved making people smile because he knew he was making someone happy. Stu was a blessing to know, and I’m glad that I was able to be friends with him.” – Sidney Linton
Genuine
“Stu was an absolute blessing to our family. We got to know him and his family through his little brother Wyatt. Stu always had a smile for us and was always genuinely glad to see us and catch up. He was a great friend to our daughter and was the best cheerleader for everyone on the cross country course. The fact that Stu has now gone on to save so many lives is not a surprise at all – that’s just who he was.” – Jeremy, Jamie, Cambri and Ayden Booe
Inclusive
“Stu was not only my teammate, but a very good friend to me. We started running together at the YMCA’s 5ks and other community races in elementary school and then got to continue to run together all through high school. I loved all of our fun and memorable times at practice, but I will also never forget all of the awesome memories that we made outside of practice and meets when we did things like our DQ Wednesdays, going to play frisbee golf on Saturdays after we got home from and XC meet, buying giant stuffed animals at Walmart or all of us playing some intense games of ultimate frisbee after practice. Stu truly lit up any room that he walked into. He always made everyone feel like they belonged and included them. I will never forget his smile or his calming voice. He will forever be remembered as the kind-hearted person that he was. Everyone needs to live like Stu.” – Halle Miller
Competitive
“I had the opportunity to meet Stuart at a young age coaching basketball at the YMCA with his dad Jake. Several years later, I would run 5ks in town and see Stu running in those races. That was when I could finish ahead of him! As my kids joined middle school, I had the opportunity to begin coaching cross country and Stu was a part of that team. He had the biggest heart and was very competitive. Stu was the ultimate teammate giving maximum effort each time he ran a course or laps around the track. He was the type of runner that didn’t need much coaching. He was a great leader and came up with silly shorts for the team to wear. Hopefully, it’s a tradition the other boys will continue. I am grateful that our family had the opportunity to know Stu and his family.” – Aaron Slater
Passionate
“There isn’t one word to describe the person that Stu was. There are so many words that do. He was passionate about helping others; passionate about running and caring for his teammates and coaches. He was loving and caring and was always there if you needed someone to talk to. He always brought joy into your life. He could walk into a room and just bring happiness to everyone that was there. I’m so glad and grateful for the time I spent with Stu while running track and cross country. He always cheered me on at every race, and when I finished, he would always give me a high-five and tell me, ‘Good job.’ I will never forget all the great memories and fun times we all had on the team together. He always made practice fun and enjoyable. The way Stu always included everyone in everything, even if you didn’t know him very well, was one of my favorite things about him. I will never forget all of the ‘Hey Bri, good mornings’ or, ‘Hey Bri, are you ready for practice today?’ when walking the halls at Northview. Knowing Stu for the time I did means so much to me. He was a great friend and teammate to so many. I’m so glad that I’m able to say that I knew Stu and his amazing family. I will miss him dearly and always think about him. I will always remember the great times we shared with him. He will always be in my thoughts and in my heart. We love you Stu and we all miss you dearly.” – Brianna Langdon
Always up for a challenge
“Stu was easily the best person I’ve ever met. To know Stu was to love him. He never failed to make me smile. He had the sweetest voice and the best laugh. Nothing was better than to see him out and about or to see his name on the work schedule next to mine. He was always up for a challenge and never hesitated to clean up anything around at the pool. Stu will forever always have a special place in my heart.” – MJ Fry
Encourager
“Stu was an amazing young man. He helped my son Caleb tremendously during cross country and in school. My son changed when Stu picked him up and drove him to and from summer conditioning just from the time spent with him. Stu was the leader, encourager, counselor and friend to everyone. To my younger son Aaron, Stu was an amazing example through sports and cheering for him at baseball and cross country. Stu will always be remembered by our family. We were blessed to have known him.” – Jennie Riddell
Team-first Mentality
“I had the privilege of coaching Stu on the Northview boys track and field team during his high school career. The leadership and team-first mentality that Stu brought to our program was instrumental in the success we’ve had recently. Northview boys track had not won a conference championship in 20 years until we finally broke through during Stu’s junior season. Now, we’ve won three straight! Stu was always a great teammate to everyone, and I don’t think he ever walked by me in the hallway without saying hi. I enjoyed seeing him at Northview sporting events this year as he cheered on his brother and other former teammates. Stu will be greatly missed, but his legacy is one that will last forever at Northview and with our track and field team.” – Mark Raetz
Welcoming
“Looking back at my very first track practice as a Northview Knight, I was late because I had an end-of-season basketball meeting. Everyone was already running, and the weather was awful. It was very cold, windy and rainy. I met with coach Grounds, who instructed me on what to do. As I ran by myself, I could see the other runners finishing up and beginning to leave. The next thing I know, Stu was running beside me and asked, ‘Hey, do you care if I run with you?’ I smiled and said, ‘No.’ I knew he had already finished and could leave. As we ran together in the rain side by side, his second question that he asked me was, ‘Are you excited to be a part of Northview’s distance team?’ It made me smile and I felt welcomed. After that day, we ran together during every track practice. Stu was a great teammate and friend.” – Nolan White
Part of the Family
“Stu became part of our family in middle school. We loved watching him run and he reminded us of our son Cam. Our families became very close, and we all ended up being great friends. Stu and our daughter Delaney became best friends. He was the sweetest kid and would do anything for anyone. He always put everyone first. I’ll never forget our family vacation. It has always been one of my favorites. He will always hold a special place in our hearts. Life will never be the same, but we will always keep Stu’s memory alive.” – Tonya and Chris Trout
Protector
“Stu and I had a very odd relationship. We were either complete jerks to each other or we were the best of friends to each other. We ended up on a family vacation together and I got shot with a rubber band gun a whole lot of times. Our parents weren’t even sure if we were going to make it home without throwing a punch at the other. Although we were jerks, we also had our good times too. He was always there for me when I needed help with school work. He protected me at all costs and was at times one of my favorite people. I will miss having him in my life.” – Delaney Trout
Determined
“I first met Stu when I was in high school running cross country and he was a sixth grader running cross country. From the first time I met him, I knew he truly loved running and he was determined to be the best runner he could be. Over the years, I got to know Stu more on a personal level as I started to help coach while he was in high school. The more and more I got to know Stu, the more he seemed like a little brother to me. He did remind me a lot of myself at first when it came to running, but then I quickly realized that he was the most selfless person and teammate anyone could ask for, and he showed that even this last week. Stu was a great athlete, student, brother, son and person who will truly be missed by many. Until we meet again, rest easy little bro!” – Cam Trout
Class Act
“Stu meant the world to me. He is one of those athletes who a coach knows they can always count on. Aside from all the awards, honors and achievements along the way, he was truly an athlete who displayed tremendous character. He was an amazing teammate, who was adored by all of his teammates from the seniors when he was a freshman to even the middle schoolers who run today. He did everything with class. If an opponent were to get injured or have a bad race, he would be the first to go over and console them. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed by the members of our program. He was truly a brother to all on our team.” – James Grounds
Leader
“Stu was the best leader I could ever have. He was the reason I moved to Northview and ran in the first place. He got me to love running and work for it. He made me feel like I was actually a part of the team, and he was always there for me. I’ll never forget all of the times we went to play frisbee golf after the meets and hang out together. Stu always listened when I had something wrong, and he always made me feel better. Stu knew what was wrong before I even knew and wouldn’t leave me alone until I was happy. He was a true friend and a blessing from God.” – Clint Mager
Accountable
“We went TP-ing with the cross country team and we ended up getting caught, so we had to run away. Parker went to pick him up and he said, ‘No. I’m not going to run.’ We later had to pick him up in the woods.” – Hunter Johnson
Heart of Gold
“Stu was one of a kind. Just an awesome kid. His smile and laugh were contagious. He was one person that my boys could always count on and was a great friend and brother to them. He would do anything for them and anyone else he came in contact with. I will always remember all the wonderful Olive Garden dinners we went to with Stu and his family on Friday nights before cross country meets and all of the times he was hanging out at our house and the TP-ing days he did with my boys and the other cross country boys. We are close friends of the family, but I always thought of Stu as one of my own kids. He had a heart of gold and will truly be missed. We love you, Stu!” – Danna and Curt Johnson
Prankster
“The best memory of Stu is when coach Grounds would always tell us to go run a cool down for 30 minutes after a meet. We would go run somewhere and jack around and then come back and say we ran for 30 minutes.” – Parker Johnson
Selfless
“I met Stu six-plus years ago and knew immediately he was one of a kind. There are many kind words to describe Stu, but selfless is always the first to come to mind. He always put everyone above himself and checked in on others when he could tell something was wrong. When I had my daughter, he was over-the-moon excited. He would sit on the floor and play with her as soon as he saw her. When Myla started standing, he immediately would have his arms around her to protect her from falling before she was even about to fall. He protected everyone he got close to and it was amazing watching him grow over the past six years and do so many great things. We love and miss you so much, Stu! Until we meet again, buddy!” – Sydney Trout
Ultimate Teammate
“Evie was Stu’s teammate and running partner until we moved away to Oklahoma. You could always find them at practice running side by side. He was such a great teammate and friend to Evie. They would run together, even on off days or Sundays. She was injured sometimes and would not be able to run, but that didn’t stop them. Stuart would run beside her while she would train on the bike. It was so sweet of him to do that so she didn’t have to feel alone during that time. They had a special bond. We will miss him so, so much. Evie has a lot of great memories of them together.” – Jeremy, Sarah, Evie and Paisley Noel
Life Saver
“Though I didn’t know him or his parents personally, through their extreme kindness, my cousin went through surgery to receive his liver. She has two daughters who haven’t left her side and they are so thankful for the opportunity to have their mom with them. We pray for his family. We pray for their comfort and strength to get them through this. We truly cannot thank them enough for their precious gift.” – Danielle McCluskey