Tragedy as wrestling champion, 16, dies in horrifying Alabama car crash

A 16-year-old Alabama state high school wrestling champion has been identified as the victim in a fatal car crash east of Birmingham.

As the Calhoun County coroner revealed earlier this week, Jeremy 'Ryan' Lambert died in the single-vehicle crash on Friday.

Lambert's 2007 Jeep Cherokee struck an embankment and overturned in a rural area, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Investigators say Lambert was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.

He was rushed to a hospital where he ultimately died from his injuries. ALEA will continue to investigate the crash, according to WVTM13.com.

News of his death was shared on Facebook by the Alexandria Elementary School, where Lambert's mother works as a teacher.

'It is with deep sorrow and a broken heart that we share the unimaginable news affecting one of our AES teachers and her family,' read the Facebook post. 'Mrs. April Lambert's son, Ryan, an 11th grader at AHS, passed away last night.

'Ryan's passing is deeply felt within our AES family and our Alexandria community,' the post continued. 'We ask that you join us in surrounding Mrs. Lambert and her family with prayers, love, and compassion.

'We also hold Ryan's friends, classmates, wrestling teammates, and coaches in our hearts and prayers as they navigate grief, confusion, and sorrow. Wrestling was Ryan's passion. His love for the sport and his team will always be part of how he is remembered.'

Lambert won consecutive Class 1A-4A state titles over the last two years, while helping his team finish second in the state rankings in 2026.

'Absolutely heartbreaking and still in disbelief,' Alexandria wrestling coach Frank Hartzog told the Calhoun Journal. 'My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.'

Lambert's funeral was held Thursday. His family asked attendees to wear Alexandria High School colors: orange and black.

Principal Derek Cobb told abc3340.com that Lambert was 'a tremendous classmate, teammate and friend' at Alexandria High School.

'We have seen an outpouring of love and support from within the Alexandria community,' Cobb said. 'It's a very close-knit community. We've had calls from other schools, other wrestling programs from throughout the state, and even college presidents have reached out to us.'