When facing grief and tragedy, our society frequently defaults to anger and finding fault in others. Yet for Corey and Kelly Richardson, the tragedy of losing their son Trent has provided a renewed perspective on the preciousness of life and the power of grace.
Corey and Kelly say their understanding of the circumstances surrounding their son’s death is that it was a tragic accident involving his friend, James Gill — and they want the greater Battle Ground community to extend grace to Gill and his family as they navigate the aftermath.
“Our understanding of what transpired is that this was a tragic accident,” said Corey Richardson, Trent’s father. “And we want to show our support for both James Gill and his family through this time. I want to ensure that the rest of the community knows that’s where we stand.”
Kelly Richardson, Trent’s mother, said the family has been careful about what it says publicly while the investigation remains ongoing, but emphasized that the two young men were friends.
“It is our understanding it was a tragic accident,” she said. “And these were two good friends.”
“They were friends who really liked each other,” Kelly added.
The Richardsons said they have been able to communicate directly with Gill and have told him that he has their support, love and grace.
Corey said he hopes Gill will continue pursuing his love of baseball.
“We would love to see him pursue his future aspirations in baseball,” he said. “And we wouldn't want to derail that in any way. And he has to live with this the rest of his life.”
For the Richardsons, that willingness to extend grace has been rooted in their Christian faith, which has become the foundation upon which they are trying to navigate the loss of their son.
Kelly said the family wants Trent’s death to become an opportunity to demonstrate the faith that has sustained them rather than a reason for people to turn away from God.
“We just want this to be an opportunity to put our faith on display that God's the God of all comfort,” she said. “And He is strengthening and comforting us and our family so well.”
Kelly said the family has experienced what she described as a “peace that passes understanding,” even while confronting the reality of losing a child.
“We are living the reality of God's promises being true in that,” she said. “We know where Trent is and that we're going to see him again someday.”
Corey described that hope as central to how he views the family’s grief.
“To me it's everything,” he said. “If all we are is just bodies. If all we are is a brain. If all that's true is materialism and naturalism. Then there is no hope. Lights out. There's no hope.”
But the Richardsons’ faith tells them death is not the end.
“For us, we truly believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead,” Corey said. “And it's a historic faith. It's something you can actually go and read from other witnesses. It’s a logical faith.”
Corey added, “As the Apostle Paul stated, ‘If the dead rise not, we are of all men most pitiable. Because here you are, going out there, risking your life, trying to share this faith, and it isn’t even true. Everything hinges on if Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and there are repercussions on both ends.”
He said that belief gives the family hope for an eternity with Trent.
“Because we actually have an eternity to look forward to and to hope in,” Corey said. “So, to us, it's everything.”
Kelly said that hope does not mean the family is avoiding or denying its grief.
“It's not just this false escapism. Or even a denial of grief. Because the grief is definitely there,” she said.
Instead, the family is discovering that the promises they have long believed can provide tangible comfort during the hardest moments of their lives.
“I'm truly experiencing that to be a reality and true,” Kelly said. “It's this truth you store up and doctrine you store up. Not knowing will it really do what it says it will do.”
She added, “But there's a level of peace that does pass human understanding that I am experiencing. And that is because of my faith and that God is so real. So, yes, it's everything.”
The Community
That faith also has shaped the family’s response to the community’s grief. Kelly said she does not want young people who knew Trent to become angry with God because of what happened.
“I just want our message to be that this isn't the time to be angry at God and turn from God,” she said. “This is the time to run to God and to see Him as our comfort and our hope and the only constant we have.”
Corey and Kelly specifically wanted to highlight the Battle Ground High School family and not only the enormous support for them, but also the Gill family. They also described the thoughtfulness of the vigil that was held for Trent at Battle Ground High School on such short notice.
Corey conveyed the magnitude of what Battle Ground Tiger Football meant to Trent and their family and how that has been strengthened through this tragedy in the ways Tiger Football has honored them and Trent.
“I was just in awe that a stadium was packed with such short notice like that,” Kelly stated. “It was so intimate, it was quiet. Yet there was light in the darkness. It was just a special moment to just have this opportunity where my son can honor the Lord and shine light in this community even after his passing.”
Corey emphasized, “It was real. This wasn’t a show.”
The Richardsons said their support has come from their church community, friends, first responders and the broader Battle Ground community. They described the response as an example of what they believe the Christian community should look like during suffering.
Corey specifically wanted to shed light on the enormous support they have received from Clark Fire District 3, where their two sons Chase and Brody currently serve and also Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue where Trent had been a cadet for two years.
“We happen to live in a day and age where there's probably a little less tribulation in our lives than a lot of saints through history,” Corey said. “And then something like this hits.”
He said the experience has given the family a deeper understanding of their faith and of the support available through their community.
“And experiencing the comfort of Almighty God through this process. And seeing the body of Christ come together. It's been a beautiful thing,” Corey said. “We are seeing it function as it should.”
That support has extended beyond the immediate family. Kelly said the community surrounding them has become an extension of their family as they grieve.
“We have such an extended family. It's not just our immediate family, but our community of believers around us are just like family,” she said. “We've all wept together.”
Corey and Kelly's gratitude continued in their recognition of Battle Ground’s Church on the Rock for hosting such a special memorial. The Richardson family received support throughout this experience from several local businesses, including Ink Ability Copy Shop, which printed all of the materials, and Al and Ernie’s bakery, which supplied baked goods. Corey stated it was such an example of different businesses and church denominations coming together to comfort those hurting in the community.
The Impact
The family also acknowledged the way Trent’s death has caused young people to reconsider their own lives and mortality.
“We’ve had so many young people coming up to us, and they’re stopped in their tracks because they’re wanting to think about how they want to live their lives.” Kelly stated this was mentioned at the vigil for Trent.
“All of us just had that sense of invincibility wiped away from us in this moment, like as a whole town and community, that we all just learned we are not invincible.”
Both Kelly and Corey shared that numerous individuals have expressed how this tragedy served as a bitter reminder of life's shortness.
Kelly said the experience has made her more intentional about appreciating every moment with her children.
When asked what message Corey would give to the young men in our community, he stated,
“I think it would be, take life seriously. Don’t be flippant about life.”
He also added, “Lay hold on eternal life. Seek that out, that’s the good life. I always tell my sons, do not chase crystals and Lamborghinis. Get married, have children, love the Lord, serve Him. That is the good life. That is eternal life.”
Kelly discussed the impact it has had on her relationally towards others.
“I'm going to drive my kids crazy hugging them every time, because you just never know when it's your last,” she said. “It does make you just stop and appreciate each moment.”
Corey similarly described his experience. “I feel like it's a renewed sense of purpose, a reminder that you're not guaranteed another day with your children or your spouse,” he said.
For Kelly, one of the most powerful reminders came from her 20-year-old son, Chase, who comforted her during a difficult moment.
“My 20-year-old son just said, ‘Mom, this life has just been a moment. We're going to have all eternity with him,’” Kelly recalled. “‘Mom, you've got to remember, this is just one moment.’”
The grief, Kelly acknowledged, will not disappear quickly.
“It's going to be a hard, long road,” she said. “And someday there will be no more tears, no more suffering, and no more crying.”
Corey described this feeling for him as a ‘gravity’ and ‘heaviness’.
“I love that word, gravity. Because it comes up in the scriptures often. And it speaks about the weight of it, the seriousness of it.” Corey continued, “There is too much jesting, foolish jesting, that goes on in our day to day. It is how we relate, I’m guilty of it myself. It is how we speak, it is in entertainment. It's in everything.” Corey described this lack of seriousness that has been exposed and manifested in this incident.
Yet, through all this, faith has given them a way to walk through grief — with hope for the future, gratitude for the people surrounding them and grace for another family facing its own grief.
Corey added the advice to believers to store the word of God for when life's storms arrive.
“The Bible talks about the word of God, which ‘effectually works in you as you believe it,’ but you need the word of God in you to do so,” he said. “We would love to see believers hiding God’s word in their heart.”
As the interview concluded, Corey and Kelly laughed through the tears as they remembered their son and “the little things” that will be missed. Some of these things included Trent’s love for Milky Ways, his obsession with cleanliness and cologne, and the loaning of his clothes and belongings to all his friends.
“He lived with such a passion for so many things and for so many people,” Kelly said. “He loved big, and he loved a lot of people. He just loved people from every walk of life, and that is a beautiful picture. Like all of us, Trent was not perfect, but was a story of redemption.”
Corey and Kelly wanted to urge the community to honor Trent by looking out for others.
“One thing we have been asked by a lot of people is how they can help or donate,” Kelly stated.
“Trent literally would give the shirt off his back. Just like Trent, if you see someone in need, be ready to help in that moment. That can be a way to honor him if you feel the need to give. Give to others.”
“God is good,” Corey concluded. “That’s what I want proclaimed from the rooftops for all of us is, God is good.”
Editor's note:
The Richardson family is not seeking additional media coverage or interviews at this time and respectfully asks that their privacy be respected as they continue to grieve and navigate this difficult time.
This report was first published by The Reflector Newspaper. James Doyle can be reached at [email protected] and Cade Barker can be reached at [email protected].
