BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Ryan Duvall, 18, is being remembered as a talented martial artist and dedicated student after he died following a crash in Cockeysville in which the car he was a passenger in hit a tree.
Duvall had studied Korean martial arts at Quest Martial Arts for eight years. Jim Bannister, who owns the school, said Duvall was one of his most talented students.
"He is an amazing martial artist both physically and mentally he embraced so many of the characteristics that we look for in a martial artist," Bannister said.
A community rallies around the family of Ryan Duvall, a martial artist and college student lost in a Cockeysville crash:
"He moved up to the adult class a couple of years ago and has since earned his first degree black belt, his first adult black belt," Bannister said.
Bannister said he first met Duvall in 2018 when he was 10 years old and joined the school's youth program.
Bannister said he was heartbroken to learn of Duvall's death and described the community's reaction.
"Everyone that I talked to has been shellshocked about this whole thing and we're just grieving with them," Bannister said.
Bannister said he has been encouraged by the outpouring of support for the Duvall family.
"Its been rough for all of us but it has been good to see the community really rally up and support each other, support his family and I know we are going to continue to do that as we move forward," Bannister said.
Duvall was also a first-year student at Harford Community College. The school issued a statement saying in part:
"Harford Community College is deeply saddened by the death of one of our students, Ryan Duvall, as the result of an accident. On behalf of the college community, we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones."
Duvall's mother also shared a statement thanking the community for the support the family received over the weekend.
A GoFundMe set up for the family originally sought $40,000 in donations and has since raised more than $52,000. The money will cover funeral costs and support the family while they grieve.
Police say the cause of the crash is still under investigation. Three other minors were in the car at the time of the crash and are hospitalized, 2 of them with life-threatening injuries.
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