ONLY ON NEWS 5: Family, friends speak about tragic loss of Avery Pickle
ELBERTA, Ala. (WKRG) — When Avery Pickle, a 17-year-old Elberta High School student and football player, wasn’t answering his phone on the Fourth of July, his sister, Alexis Fillingim, said she had a gut feeling that something wasn’t right.
She said that she and her family had been trying to call Pickle for hours with no response. She said she then pinged his phone’s location and found his truck with all of his belongings inside.
THE BIG STORY: 13 people injured, no deaths after crash on Dolly Parton bridge
“I opened the car door thinking that maybe he was just in his truck. He wasn’t in his truck, but all of his belongings were there,” Fillingim said. “At that moment, I knew that something was wrong because my baby brother doesn’t just run off and leave his phone.”
Fillingim said that her family and the Baldwin County Sherriff’s Office made every effort to look for him in the area Thursday night. The search continued into the next morning with the help of volunteers, first responders, and search and rescue.
Fillingim posted on social media asking if anyone had any information on her brother’s whereabouts and requesting additional help searching the area.
“I guess as quick as people woke up and seen it, it just spread like wildfire,” Fillingim said. “As a sister, I was genuinely hoping that maybe he just got in the truck with a friend and was over at their house. But the longer that it took and the more that came out, it became apparent that that’s not what had happened.”
Some residents jump from home balcony after multiple homes in Destin catch fire: OCSO
His body was discovered early in the morning on July 5 in the waters of Palmetto Creek in the Perdido Beach area.
Baldwin County investigators say that at this point there is no foul play suspected, but the Baldwin County Sherriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident.
Pickle’s family said not knowing exactly what happened that day has been the hardest part.
“Not having a straight answer from anybody is a really hard thing. We just want the truth,” Fillingim said. “If it was an accident, then it was an accident. We can go from there. We just want to know what happened.”
Father demanding answers after son was shot at house party in Wilmer
Despite the heartache and unresolved questions, those closest to him said Pickle was an exceptional person.
“He was like a completely different person than anybody else. He was the funniest person you’ll ever meet,” one of Pickle’s best friends Trey Ridenour said. “We were more like brothers than friends.”
Fillingim said that everyone in Elberta knew Avery by his last name ‘Pickle’. She said he loved the nickname.
UPDATE: 4-year-old boy’s body found, Escambia County officials say
“He thought it was hilarious,” she said. “He even wanted to change his name to Dylan, so he would be Dill Pickle.”
Pickle was about to enter his senior year at Elberta High School and was preparing for his last year of Friday Night Lights with the football team. He wore No. 48 on the field.
Although many people know Pickle to be a key player on the school’s football team, his sister said that he loved wrestling at school.
“He was loved,” Fillingim said. “He was so loved. And he is still loved like that. It doesn’t just go away. You know, everybody loves him so much.”
A GoFundMe has been started to honor Avery Pickle and assist his family with any final expenses. As of Tuesday evening, they’ve received overwhelming support and raised over $10,000.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
