{"id":32176,"date":"2025-12-07T21:37:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T02:37:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=32176"},"modified":"2025-12-07T21:37:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T02:37:33","slug":"memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/","title":{"rendered":"Memorial service for Payton Cook at Tusculum University to be available via livestream"},"content":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Those who are unable to attend in person the memorial service for the Tusculum University<\/a> student who passed away in a car accident Friday, Dec. 5, will be able to watch it via livestream.<\/h3>\n
\"The

The memorial service will be held Monday, Dec. 8, at Tusculum University.<\/p><\/div>\n

Tusculum will hold the service in memory of freshman Payton Cook Monday, Dec. 8, at 5 p.m. in Pioneer Arena. The livestream will begin at 4:45 p.m. People can access the service at https:\/\/bit.ly\/4povOy7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have received many requests for the livestream and are pleased to accommodate them,\u201d said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum\u2019s president. \u201cThis accident and Payton\u2019s passing have touched many people deeply, and we have planned a ceremony that is intended to help everyone in the healing process. We encourage everyone to join us in person or on the livestream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cook, a\u00a0business administration<\/a>\u00a0major and\u00a0men\u2019s lacrosse<\/a>\u00a0team member, came to Tusculum from Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada.\u00a0He passed away in a car accident on Old Tusculum Road.<\/p>\n

His passing has resulted in an outpouring of support from many people and some memories from his professors on social media following the accident.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am heartbroken to learn this sad news,\u201d said Dr. Angela Keaton, professor of history. \u201cI just saw him Thursday morning. Payton was in one of my classes this semester. He was a model student \u2013 hardworking, engaged, and intelligent. I am praying for his family, friends, and teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am absolutely devastated to hear this,\u201d said Holly Ratcliff, assistant professor of English. \u201cPayton was a student in two of my classes this fall, and I just saw him yesterday morning. He was a smart, kind, polite, and dedicated student. I am heartbroken for his family, his friends, his teammates, his classmates, and all of us in our very close-knit community at Tusculum. Praying for comfort for so many at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The men\u2019s lacrosse team attended the worship service at Tusculum Baptist Church Sunday, Dec. 7, and received support from the congregation.<\/p>\n

The university is also pleased to report that the other four students who were injured \u2013 Nate DeSouza, Brandon Newsom, Hagan Windsor and Jordan York \u2013 have been released from the hospital. Dr. Hummel said the university is extremely grateful for this outcome but knows that is not the end of their recovery. He said the Tusculum family wishes these students the best as they continue to progress in their healing.<\/p>\n

Dr. Hummel said the well-being of the Cook family remains on the minds of the Tusculum family. He said Tusculum continues to pray and provide support for them.<\/p>\n

More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Those who are unable to attend in person the memorial service for the Tusculum University<\/a> student who passed away in a car accident Friday, Dec. 5, will be able to watch it via livestream.<\/h3>\n

Tusculum will hold the service in memory of freshman Payton Cook Monday, Dec. 8, at 5 p.m. in Pioneer Arena. The livestream will begin at 4:45 p.m. People can access the service at https:\/\/bit.ly\/4povOy7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have received many requests for the livestream and are pleased to accommodate them,\u201d said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum\u2019s president. \u201cThis accident and Payton\u2019s passing have touched many people deeply, and we have planned a ceremony that is intended to help everyone in the healing process. We encourage everyone to join us in person or on the livestream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the full article…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[131,91,7,19,169,146,1,6,148,147,149,172],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nMemorial service for Payton Cook at Tusculum University to be available via livestream :: Tusculum University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Memorial service for Payton Cook at Tusculum University to be available via livestream :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GREENEVILLE \u2013 Those who are unable to attend in person the memorial service for the Tusculum University student who passed away in a car accident Friday, Dec. 5, will be able to watch it via livestream. Tusculum will hold the service in memory of freshman Payton Cook Monday, Dec. 8, at 5 p.m. in Pioneer Arena. The livestream will begin at 4:45 p.m. People can access the service at https:\/\/bit.ly\/4povOy7. \u201cWe have received many requests for the livestream and are pleased to accommodate them,\u201d said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum\u2019s president. \u201cThis accident and Payton\u2019s passing have touched many people deeply, and we have planned a ceremony that is intended to help everyone in the healing process. We encourage everyone to join us in person or on the livestream.\u201d Read the full article...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-08T02:37:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Payton-Cook-1-300x169.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jim Wozniak\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jim Wozniak\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/\",\"name\":\"Memorial service for Payton Cook at Tusculum University to be available via livestream :: Tusculum University\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-08T02:37:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-08T02:37:33+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/21b61c94e78ce303ab780be8b1e62dd7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"News and Information\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Memorial service for Payton Cook at Tusculum University to be available via livestream\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/\",\"name\":\"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS\",\"description\":\"News for Alumni, Parents and Friends\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/21b61c94e78ce303ab780be8b1e62dd7\",\"name\":\"Jim Wozniak\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4d61ad3ea2d16960d99f5aea77c2329e?s=96&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4d61ad3ea2d16960d99f5aea77c2329e?s=96&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jim Wozniak\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/author\/jwozniaktusculum-edu\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Memorial service for Payton Cook at Tusculum University to be available via livestream :: Tusculum University","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/memorial-service-for-payton-cook-at-tusculum-university-to-be-available-via-livestream\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Memorial service for Payton Cook at Tusculum University to be available via livestream :: Tusculum University","og_description":"GREENEVILLE \u2013 Those who are unable to attend in person the memorial service for the Tusculum University student who passed away in a car accident Friday, Dec. 5, will be able to watch it via livestream. 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