December 8, 1995 – January 5, 2026

Kyle David Cox

‘Where others see disability, he only sees ability’

Diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy just before the age of 7, Kyle David Cox faced a substantial number of challenges, but he did not let any of these challenges discourage him. Although his time here was short, he accomplished more than most people could in a century. An avid Texas A&M sports fan, an amazing musician, a loving son and friend and a person of great faith, Kyle embodied his mantra: “It’s not the disability, it’s the ability.”

From an early age, Kyle knew that he wanted to attend A&M, and that’s exactly what he did. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in agricultural leadership, he went on to attend the Bush School of Government & Public Service, where he earned a Master of Public Administration in 2020 with a focus on public policy and healthcare. At the time of his passing, he was a doctoral candidate in the A&M College of Agriculture, working toward a Ph.D. in agricultural leadership, education and communications.

“He got involved in things,” Kristen Cox, Kyle’s mother, said. “He ran for Senator; he made Senator twice. He resumed a dormant athletics, adaptive sports. And he got that reinstated, and he got a vendor to donate like 18 wheelchairs, so that it could be integrated. So people without disabilities played in a wheelchair, which was their disability, and then people with disabilities played in a wheelchair, which they knew how to use.”

This accomplishment is one of many that Kyle made in order to better the lives of students with disabilities. Instead of choosing to focus on himself, he did everything for the benefit of others, no matter how tedious.

“He started this project on campus called Open Doors because he would find that buildings either didn’t have a door-opener, or maybe they had one door-opener at one door, but when it rained, he had to get to the closest door possible,” Kristen said. “And so he went and asked, ‘Who puts door-openers? How do we get a door-opener in?’ They told him what company does it. He talked to them about, ‘What does it cost? Who’s my contact?’ And then he put the word out, ‘If anybody needs a door-opener anywhere, contact me, and I’ll get it done for you.’ So he got door-openers.”

Beyond his work breaking boundaries for students at A&M, Kyle was known for his faith and his eagerness to share it.

“He led a lot of people to the Lord,” Kristen said. “I heard so many stories of people that he gave them their first Bible. I didn’t even know he did that, and some of them told me he gave them his Bible that he was using.”

Within his faith-centered community, Kyle made friends that loved him and everything he represented. So much so, his friends from the Impact Retreat planned a trip around the country for Kyle, involving hot springs, rafting and his love for barbeque.

“They had decided to take him on this road trip across the country,” Kristen said. “And he loved barbecue, so they had lined up, they’ve gone and raised money all over town like Sonic and all different places. And they rented this huge RV, and they had lined up all these barbecue restaurants going toward the East Coast, and it was a surprise.”

Just like this group of friends, everyone who met Kyle seemed to love him and be permanently touched by him. Even his high school band director drove two days both ways for Kyle’s service because of the mark he left on his heart.

“He loved his sisters,” Kristen said. “He has seven nieces and nephews, and he loves them fiercely. He gave them rides on his wheelchair all the time, and one would be on the back, one would be in the front between his legs, and they’d be fighting over who’s next. And he’d turn in circles, and when he drove, he’d help me drive them around with their activities. He loved to just give them rides to their activities.”

Kyle was a sports fan, traveler, coin collector, musician and much more. Most importantly, Kyle was a person who left a mark on the world around him and all of the people in it through his faith and genuine care for others.“I think people just gravitated to him because his word was — and it’s on his challenge coin — I have a challenge coin for him,” Kristen said. “ It says, ‘It’s the ability.’ Where others see disability, he only sees ability, and it attracted people.”