KUDYM.COM

Victim Had No Enemies, Say Relatives, Friends

When family and friends talk of Joel Kudym, they describe a quiet and easy-going young man who enjoyed his family and would never go out of his way to offend someone.
"He had no enemies. He never did anything wrong," said his girlfriend's father. "He doesn't deserve this."
The 19-year-old was gunned down Wednesday night as he drove with his girlfriend, her brother and a friend after getting slushies in Louisville, Nebraska. The shooting sent family members reeling with grief and left them to wonder why their loved one became the victim of violence.
"The thing that goes through my mind is how senseless this is," said his father, Fred Kudym. "I just want it to end. I can't understand why people kill each other for no reason. Why can't we solve problems instead of creating more problems?"
Kudym grew up in Omaha with his parents, Fred and Judy, and two brothers, Jason, 25, and Chad, 22.
Last spring Joel graduated from Central High School after years of struggle. He had a learning disability that made it hard for him to comprehend and express himself.
"He had some real challenges at times in his life," his father said. "I

used to help him all I could. I was determined he was going to have a positive high school experience."
The disability brought Kudym and his father closer together and gave the teen-ager an appreciation for other things -- working outside and working with his hands.
"He loved to work," his father said. "He loved lawn work and landscaping. He was helping a guy mow lawns. He just loved doing it."
Even cold weather couldn't stop Kudym. His father recalled the time his son fixed up a motor scooter and took it outside for a drive in below-zero temperatures and the time when, as a youngster, Kudym jumped into a freezing cold pool at 6am to be a part of the "Eskimo Club" at camp.
In recent months, Kudym had been working for a lawn service and making plans for the future. He had been thinking about enrolling in a trade school and starting his own lawn service.
Now, his close-knit family has been left with nothing but prayers, memories and grief.
"He loved to spend time with us," Fred Kudym said. "I'd rather spend time hunting, skiing and golfing with my boys than anything else."
"He'll always be a part of us."