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re: Vol reporter Wes Rucker dead in fatal car crash
Posted on 2/20/26 at 7:17 am to Diamondawg
Posted on 2/20/26 at 7:17 am to Diamondawg
I think he was doing beat work online for the gamecocks, too.
The point being that the employer hired his personality. He was internet famous on some of the socials. He was a favorite guest on most of the podcasts.
If there was a list of college beat writers that you would grab a beer with (or invite to dinner), he would be one of the top ones (especially if the list was written by beat writers)
The point being that the employer hired his personality. He was internet famous on some of the socials. He was a favorite guest on most of the podcasts.
If there was a list of college beat writers that you would grab a beer with (or invite to dinner), he would be one of the top ones (especially if the list was written by beat writers)
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Posted on 2/20/26 at 8:57 am to Woopigsooie20
Wes was on of the actual reasonable people in sports media. He loved the Vols...but he also loved the sport and was able to cover sports without orange-tinted glasses. He had a great personality and will be missed. Prayers go out to his family for their loss and to our community for losing one of our own. I have listened to him and watched him so much over the years that it's a little hard to wrap my head around him not being there moving forward.
Thank you to tRant posters on here who are being so kind to mention him respectfully in what can be such an otherwise polarized world. You all have demonstrated what is really important, and I appreciate you taking time to reach out in consolation.
Thank you to tRant posters on here who are being so kind to mention him respectfully in what can be such an otherwise polarized world. You all have demonstrated what is really important, and I appreciate you taking time to reach out in consolation.
Posted on 2/20/26 at 9:13 am to UTK
quote:
Ugh that’s just the worst. They really do need to do something about I-40. It’s all a bottleneck just waiting for tragedies like this to happen. I left work from downtown at like 3:30 and it was already starting to bottleneck around 17th street and papermill…then Cedar Bluff all of the way to Watt Road. It’s ridiculous at this point and shite needs to be done.
24 years ago, TDOT decided on a plan to by-pass Knoxville with the proposed " Orange Route - 475" that would run North from Watt Road and reconnect with I-75 near Heiskell. It was going to be a 36.5 mile loop that would greatly relieve congestion where 75 and 40 comingle in West Knox County. It was actually first suggested in 1977, and took 25 years before they completed a study and decided that it was a good choice in 2002. Then in February 2010, TDOT made a "No Build" decision because it was going to be too expensive, and their traffic projections led them to believe that it would not be necessary. Now, 16 years later, they are revisiting the option.
ETA image of Orange Route
This post was edited on 2/20/26 at 9:17 am
Posted on 2/20/26 at 9:38 am to madmaxvol
Prayers to his family. Terrible
Posted on 2/20/26 at 9:54 am to BluegrassBelle
quote:
Does any of the Vol folks here know if they’re starting a GoFundMe for the family?
They have started a meal train and a Gofundme.
Meal Train
Gofundme
This post was edited on 2/20/26 at 10:00 am
Posted on 2/20/26 at 10:01 am to Woopigsooie20
Wes was a good friend of a friend of mine. Just terrible news.
Posted on 2/20/26 at 10:33 am to UTK
quote:
Pellissippi northbound to Oak Ridge isn’t much better either.
I want to know who had the brilliant idea to change Pellissippi from limited access to standard surface street in Solway. Between that and 25W between Claxton and Clinton it seems like they just want people trying to go north from the west side to get in accidents.
Posted on 2/20/26 at 10:57 am to UTK
quote:
Pellissippi northbound to Oak Ridge isn’t much better either. The expansion of the surrounding areas is crazy.
They have got to do something about the Oak Ridge Highway entrance onto Northbound Pellissippi, along with the intersection with Solway Rd in that same area. It's gotten much worse since they started construction on the bridge on Highway 95 near Melton Hill Dam. Now much of the ORNL and Y-12 traffic that would have been traveling on 95 to and from work has shifted to Pellissippi. It will be that way until August.
Posted on 2/20/26 at 11:03 am to PJinAtl
quote:
I want to know who had the brilliant idea to change Pellissippi from limited access to standard surface street in Solway.
If I recall correctly...that was the original stretch of road. They expanded it in the late 70s/early 80s to extend to I-40, then extended later to reach Alcoa Highway.
quote:
Between that and 25W between Claxton and Clinton it seems like they just want people trying to go north from the west side to get in accidents.
SR-170 between Claxton and Oak Ridge has been constrained by the bridge at Bull Run. There are currently plans to expand that stretch from 2 lanes to 4 (much like the expansion that just completed at Ball Camp). It looks like construction won't begin until around 2029. So, widening it may relieve some pressure between Claxton and Knoxville...but may add even more congestion between Claxton and Clinton. When you add the increased traffic that could come to Clinton for the Aspire Park, it looks like it may get worse before it gets better.
Posted on 2/20/26 at 12:04 pm to BluegrassBelle
quote:
Does any of the Vol folks here know if they’re starting a GoFundMe for the family?
I read on another site 30 minutes ago that there is a GoFundMe set up for the family.
Posted on 2/20/26 at 12:06 pm to rich4pres
Thanks, rich 
Posted on 2/20/26 at 12:13 pm to BluegrassBelle
Posted on 2/20/26 at 12:19 pm to Woopigsooie20
He has a child with some pretty significant medical issues IIRC. Does anyone have a link to donate to the family?
Posted on 2/20/26 at 12:21 pm to Lt. Columbo
Christ have mercy...
Posted on 2/20/26 at 12:56 pm to Jauquismos
Just awful to hear, he was married and had a 4 year old child. He will be missed!!!!!
Posted on 2/20/26 at 4:04 pm to VolSquatch
Just awful. RIP.
No life insurance either. Would’ve been impossible to get/afford after his stroke that nearly killed him several years ago. Realistically need to hope we raise 1+ million for his wife/kids knowing that.
No life insurance either. Would’ve been impossible to get/afford after his stroke that nearly killed him several years ago. Realistically need to hope we raise 1+ million for his wife/kids knowing that.
This post was edited on 2/20/26 at 4:07 pm
Posted on 2/20/26 at 4:38 pm to LewEvansFan
quote:
Realistically need to hope we raise 1+ million for his wife/kids knowing that.
GoFundMe is already north of $375,000.
Scott Van Pelt donated $5,000. Shannon Terry (founder/CEO of On3) donated $10,000.
Former MLB player Jim Thome donated $1,000.
This post was edited on 2/20/26 at 4:41 pm
Posted on 2/20/26 at 5:08 pm to PJinAtl
Yeah I think it will get there or close to it. But even 1 mill not enough to not have to worry about money but at least gives her the run way to raise the kids out of the early years and figure out what’s next.
His poor son has had pretty severe kidney problems and has had about 6 surgeries so I’m sure the medical expenses are high.
His poor son has had pretty severe kidney problems and has had about 6 surgeries so I’m sure the medical expenses are high.
This post was edited on 2/20/26 at 5:09 pm
Posted on 2/20/26 at 5:21 pm to PJinAtl
Props to Shannon for that.
This post was edited on 2/20/26 at 5:21 pm
Posted on 2/20/26 at 7:16 pm to 1999
GoFundMe is currently at 450k
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