21-Year-Old Gymnast’s Life Ended in Tragedy – Boyfriend’s Arrest Raises Serious Questions

Kara Welsh, a 21-year-old star gymnast, has left her loved ones devastated after she was shot and killed. College friends have identified the person responsible as her boyfriend.

Kara, a national champion, was found dead in her off-campus apartment on August 30. A friend of the couple said he wishes he had spent “just one more” moment with her, hoping it could have “changed” what happened.

On August 31, Sierra Brooks, Kara’s best friend and former teammate, learned the tragic news that Kara had been shot the night before.

“I can’t believe someone could do this, especially to such a beautiful person,” Sierra wrote in a tribute to Kara. Kara was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she was majoring in business and economics.

In 2023, Kara won an individual gymnastics title on the vault.

Kara Welsh, a student from Plainfield, Illinois, was found dead in her off-campus apartment around 11:54 p.m. on August 30. She had been shot several times.

When police arrived, they found a 23-year-old man, who knew Kara, in the home. It was determined that an argument had taken place between the two before the shooting.

“Heartbreaking”
Sierra Brooks, Kara’s friend who trained with her at Aspire Gymnastics Academy, shared her grief. “Absolutely heartbreaking to get a call like this. Kara, you deserved so much more. I wish I could see, laugh, and hug you one more time.”

Aspire Gymnastics Academy posted several photos of Kara along with a tribute on their Facebook page.

“As Kara grew, so did Aspire. She was a steady presence in a sport full of ups and downs. She was full of life and personality,” the center wrote. “Her facial expressions spoke volumes. Aspire lost a part of its heart today. Kara, we love you.”

Corey King, the chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW), released a statement on August 31, calling Kara Welsh “a standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics team.” He added that “news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community.”

A friend on Facebook also expressed sorrow, sharing a tribute posted by Aspire Gymnastics Academy. “I hate that evil touched this sweet girl’s life,” they wrote. Referring to Kara’s sister Kaeli, they added, “The Welsh sisters showed us what it means to be gym sisters, but so much more. Kara was all heart. This loss is unimaginable.”

‘I beat myself up’
The police have not yet released the suspect’s name, as he has not been officially charged.

However, friends revealed that Kara was dating the man, identified as Chad Richards, and he was helping her move into her apartment.

Brayten Wilkerson, a friend of both Kara Welsh and the suspect, expressed his sorrow, saying, “Sometimes I beat myself up, thinking if I had seen them that day, maybe… just one more joke, one more memory, could have changed things.” Wilkerson, a member of the UWW wrestling team, told ABC’s WISN, “Kara was a sweetheart. She was one of the best people you could meet. Her family raised her to be a wonderful woman.”

A GoFundMe organizer shared that loved ones are “deeply saddened” by Kara’s death. They said, “Kara had a special ability to bring joy to everyone she met, always making people smile with her sense of humor, support, and kind personality.”

“Kara, 21, was looking forward to her senior year as a gymnast at UW-Whitewater, but her life was tragically cut short on August 30 by a senseless act of violence.”

The Whitewater Police Department stated that charges for first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety with a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct while armed are being sent to the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office.

Boy Promises to Water Old Lady’s Plants after She Moves to Nursing Home, Finds Note Left in Soil – Story of the Day

When Daniel saw his older neighbor fighting with her son over her plants, he offered to help and volunteered to water her garden for her. Sometime later, he found a note buried in the soil that changed everything in the most surprising way.

“I can’t believe you would ask that of me! I can’t come here every day to water your plants! If you gave me the house, I would do it!” Daniel heard someone shouting and stopped his bike in front of a pretty little house with a lovely garden. He knew that an older woman, Mrs. Carrino, lived there, but he had never talked to her, and he had no idea who was yelling.

Suddenly, Daniel saw a man exiting the house, still yelling, and the older woman was following him behind. “Arnold, I asked you to come and help me, and all you’ve talked about is getting this house! Are you crazy? Do you want me to die so you can have my house?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Daniel’s eyebrows went up, and he thought he should leave, but he was rooted in place.

Suddenly, the sound of metal crashing against each other made him flinch. “What the –”

“You’re being a drama queen, mother. This house will go to me anyway. I can’t believe you’re giving me this attitude when I came to help you move!”

“Leave now if that’s how you’re going to act!” Mrs. Carrino stated, which made Arnold stomp to his car and drive off in a huff. They were so engrossed in their fight that they didn’t even notice Daniel standing there with his bike.

Finally, the older woman saw him. “Oh, boy. What are you doing here? Do I know you?” she asked.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I live two houses down the street. I’m Daniel, Caroline’s son,” he stated, pointing back to his house. “I’m sorry, but I was biking around and heard the yelling. I got worried. Are you alright, Mrs. Carrino?”

“Oh, I recognize you now, and it’s so nice that you know my name. Don’t worry about that. It was just my son being a brat,” she explained.

“Why?”

“Well… I’m moving to a nursing home, and I asked him to come and help me. But he only came here to ask if I could give him the house. He said he was going to move in here. But I know he’s just going to sell it because he doesn’t value investment like I do. I worked hard to earn this place, and as long as I’m alive, I’m not selling it,” Mrs. Carrino revealed. “But then he made a scene after I asked him to water my plants. And I believe you saw the rest of the fight.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I can do that,” Daniel said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Do what?”

“Water your plants.”

“I can’t pay you, dear,” Mrs. Carrino said, her eyes apologetic.

“I know. But I live so close. It’s not a problem,” Daniel insisted, and the older woman smiled brightly at him.

A few days later, Mrs. Carrino moved to a nearby nursing home in Florida, and Daniel kept his promise. He visited her home almost every day to water her plants and was happy to do so. Soon enough, he started to love gardening and would visit Mrs. Carrino to ask about adding some new plants.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Of course! And make sure to watch out for the soil,” she said, winking at him, although Daniel had no idea why she was acting cheeky.

Daniel began buying and adding new plants to the garden, thinking it would be great to start a gardening company in the future so his family wouldn’t have to struggle so much. His mother worked two jobs on the weekdays and one on weekends to keep him and his siblings fed and to pay rent. But it was not enough.

He only had a bike because he had found an old one and had taken side gigs to repair it. But gardening gave him an escape from all those money worries, and he felt terrific after planting something new and seeing how it started to grow. He never expected what he would find in the garden one day.

He had gotten some azaleas, which he read thrived in the Florida weather, and had started digging with a tiny shovel on a specific spot of the grass. Suddenly, the sound of metal crashing against each other made him flinch. “What the –”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Dropping the shovel, he used his hands to unearth a mason jar with a metal top and found a note inside.

“Dear Daniel! Thank you for your help, this house is now yours! Go inside and find all the paperwork. You and your family can move in whenever you want!”

Daniel couldn’t believe his eyes, but he rushed inside, using the key Mrs. Carrino left him. On the kitchen counter, he saw the title to the house. Although he couldn’t understand what most of it said, he saw his name at the bottom.

Still in shock, he called Mrs. Carrino, who confirmed everything. “You’re going to need to sign it to complete the transfer. But I wanted you to find the note first!” Mrs. Carrino said.

His mother couldn’t believe it. They could move into the house and stop paying rent. There was no mortgage either, which would help his family immensely. They were so grateful for the older woman’s gift that his mother and other siblings started visiting her often, thinking of her as a grandmother.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

But during their move, Daniel discovered something even more curious. In Mrs. Carrino’s old room, there was another note. It was the same as the one he had found, but instead, it said “Arnold.” The older woman was actually planning to give her son the house if he helped her with her plants. But she changed her mind, and Daniel received a huge present just for being kind.

It was a lesson he would never forget.

What can we learn from this story?

  • Aspire to be someone like Daniel, not Arnold. Arnold pretended to want to help his mother, but he only wanted her house. Meanwhile, Daniel did it out of the goodness of his heart.
  • You should never feel entitled to an inheritance. While most parents like giving their children the results of their hard work, children should never feel entitled to it. Arnold assumed he was getting his mother’s house but he was wrong.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a boy who helped an older woman carry her groceries and received money later.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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