When Croix Wright competes in the Class 4-1A state bowling championships Wednesday in Wichita, his mother, Angela, won’t be behind the settee yelling encouragement.
 
In the coming days, when Wichita Trinity Academy’s bowling team holds its postseason banquet, she won’t be leading the parent group tending to details of the festivities.
 
Those became memories on the second day of October, when the vibrant, energetic Wright died at age 50 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.
 
The moment has stuck with Wright’s youngest son, a junior standout for the Knights.
 
“My mom passed at 1:23 p.m. and that’s kind of like a random thing for me,” said Croix, this week’s CapFed® True Blue® Student of the Week. “When I see 1-2-3 in any order, it kind of reminds me of it.”
 
Embedded even more is his mother’s legacy of uplifting others, a trait he makes a conscious attempt to embody.
 
Angela Wright was the president and CEO of Answer Advantage, an answering service for medical offices, apartment complexes and other businesses. She led early-morning fitness classes at a Wichita YMCA.
 
The Wright family also owns the Old Mill Tasty Shop, a downtown restaurant that hosted the bowling team’s banquet last year.
 
When Trinity coach Dalen Rosiere submits all-state nominations, he solicits parental input to offer a more complete profile of his bowlers. A year ago, Angela offered her support for Croix, writing:
 
“He is passionate about the Lord, and spending time with family and friends.
 
“Croix is currently working hard to advance his bowling skills and is learning great techniques from his team mates.
 
“Croix has a deep desire to keep learning and growing in many aspects in his life including bowling.”
 
Wright was named to the Kansas Bowling Coaches Association’s Class 4-1A second team in 2023 after helping Trinity post a second-place finish at the 5-1A state tournament. This season, he ranks second on the team behind senior Connor Jahn with a 208 average.
 
Jahn and Wright are the two returning members of last year’s state runner-up team. Another member of the current team, Charlie Carlson, is Wright’s best friend and has bowled with him since sixth grade.
 
“Bowling is the thing that I love and I love all the guys who I do it with,” Wright said. “It’s always just a positive place to be.”
 
Wright takes honors classes at Trinity and plays percussion in the school band. He also sings in the choir and this year is a member of Trinity’s Madrigals.
 
The private school’s curriculum offers Bible classes, and Wright enrolled last semester in a servant leadership course he said he really enjoyed. Part of the coursework included engaging in a community service opportunity.
 
With his mother’s health rapidly declining, Wright was allowed to improvise.
 
“I wanted to be with my mom and my teacher worked with me and said to spend time with your mom and your family and do whatever you can for her,” Wright said. “If I did that, it would meet what was required.
 
“It was just tough seeing my mom, the strongest person I know and I’m sure a lot of people know. She wasn’t defeated, but it was something that was taking a toll on her. It was hard to see her weak physically, but I don’t know that she was ever weak mentally because she’s the strongest person ever.”
 
Wright is the third bowler Rosiere has coached since the mid-2000s who lost a parent to health issues while competing for him. He said Wright’s strong foundation has been evident on a daily basis.
 
“Without knowing him, you wouldn’t know there’s a difference,” Rosiere said. “He’s got a lot of support around him. The students have rallied around him quite a bit.
 
“He’s got a great foundation. It’s never in question. So how he presents himself has never changed.”
 
Wright said shortly before her death, Angela’s message to him was to have faith in God’s plan and be faithful to it. While he no longer gets to see her at bowling tournaments and other competitions, those who do come to watch have made a positive impact.
 
“I’m still trying to grow in my faith and even see the best in this situation,” Wright said. “I definitely see the people around me, my family, as a blessing.
 
“One thing I’ve been focusing on is when I get down not seeing my mom back there cheering for me is that I have other people who are still here. They reflect who my mom was.”