Spurgeon College, family mourn hiking death of missions student

Benjamin Speidel, age 20, suddenly collapsed while participating in missions training week, Spurgeon College said Wednesday. He was an incoming student at the college in Kansas City, Mo., which operates alongside Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Speidel was hiking at a local park on Saturday when he suffered a medical emergency. He died after being transferred to a hospital, according to local news.

Speidel died from cardiac arrest, his family said. “As a family, we are grateful that he was doing what he always did: thoughtfully following Jesus day by day,” they wrote in a social media post. The family thanked their community for an outpouring of love and support, which they said comforted them and made them feel the Lord’s presence.

Sam Bierig, dean of Spurgeon College, described Speidel’s death as a great blow to the college’s mission teams and wider community. He had a passion for the Great Commission, Bierig said. The college also shared statements from several classmates and friends, who also highlighted his zeal for the gospel and eagerness to serve others. The college made counselors available to students and others impacted by Speidel’s death, it said.