A Promise Lives On: The Tyler J. Ritter Legacy Fund
Tyler J. Ritter was the kind of person who made others feel seen. A beloved son, brother, teammate, and friend, Tyler was known for his kindness, empathy, and ability to connect with people wherever they were in life.
A 2016 graduate of Sacred Heart Jr.-Sr. High School, Tyler was a proud member of the Sacred Heart Knights basketball team. He lived and breathed the game, but above all, he had a huge heart for people and made everyone feel like they mattered.
“Tyler was kind, compassionate, caring, and just wanted to be everybody’s friend,” shared his father, Mark Ritter.
Like many families in our community, Tyler’s family also experienced the devastating impact of substance use disorder. After breaking both wrists in 2017, Tyler became addicted to prescription opioids. Determined to reclaim his life, he entered himself into drug rehab in 2020 and fought hard to defeat his addiction.
By 2022, Tyler was clean, sober, and full of hope. He was excited to return to Salina and had an opportunity to play on the Kansas Wesleyan University basketball team for the upcoming school year.
Tragically, Tyler lost his life to addiction on December 21, 2022, at the age of 24.
At Tyler’s funeral, Mark made a promise to his son, a promise that now lives on through the memorial fund created in Tyler’s name.
“I couldn’t save your life,” Mark said, “but I’m going to try and save others.”
Turning Loss into Life-Changing Impact
After Tyler’s death, Mark established the Tyler J. Ritter Legacy Fund at the Greater Salina Community Foundation to honor Tyler’s life and help others struggling with substance use disorder. By sharing Tyler’s story, Mark hopes to reduce stigma surrounding addiction and raise awareness that it can affect anyone.
“At his funeral, I told him, ‘Your death is not going to be in vain, and you will be remembered as someone who cared deeply for other people,’” said Mark. “That was probably Tyler’s biggest trait—his huge caring heart.”
A Gift That Opens the Door to Recovery
Three years after Tyler’s death, his family awarded the first grant from the Tyler J. Ritter Legacy Fund to CKF Addiction Treatment, helping cover the cost of treatment for an individual who otherwise could not access care due to financial barriers.
“I chose CKF Addiction to receive the first grant from Tyler’s fund because they’re doing for people what Tyler’s rehab center tried to do for him,” said Mark.
CKF Addiction Treatment has been providing addiction health care since 1967 through residential rehabilitation, outpatient services and recovery. They believe in a world where every individual suffering from addiction gets better. “We are profoundly grateful to be chosen as the very first recipient of the Tyler J. Ritter Legacy Fund,” said Chelsey Eberwein, Manager of Adolescent Services & Community Engagement. “This meaningful gift will quite literally change someone’s life and is a powerful testament to who Tyler was.”
Through the Tyler J. Ritter Legacy Fund, Tyler’s caring heart continues to remove barriers, open doors to recovery, and offer hope to those who need it most.
