The Wilson High community is still mourning the death of Tierney Kaufman Hutchins.
Last month, the accomplished alum and her unborn child, Keira Wade Hutchins, passed away due to complications during pregnancy. Kaufman Hutchins was 35.
“Her biggest super power was the ability to connect with people,” her brother Dalton Kaufman said. “She was very social, but also very genuine and humble.”
Dalton Kaufman is also the girls’ soccer coach at Wilson, and coached his sister Tierney when she made the varsity team as a freshman in 2000. Kaufman remembers he was very concerned people would accuse him of nepotism.
“We had a decent team that year and (Tierney) was coming off the bench,” he said. “In our first game it was 0-0 at halftime. I made some changes and brought her in off the bench and she scored the very first goal of the season as a freshman. I remember taking this huge sigh of relief and looking over at my dad. He looked at me and gave me the nod like, ‘you done well, son’ so it was a family affair.”
Tierney Kaufman Hutchins was born in Long Beach and stayed busy from a young age. She was a Girl Scout, a Debutante and a philanthropist before reaching Wilson High, where she excelled in a variety of activities.
In the classroom Kaufman Hutchins was an Honor and Principal’s Roll student. She was a member of the National Honor Society, served as the Student Council president and graduated as a distinguished scholar.
Kaufman Hutchins played three years of varsity soccer while also participating in varsity advanced dance and cheer. As if her resume wasn’t complete, she was Homecoming Queen and a member of the Zygomas on campus.
Instead of pursuing a future in collegiate soccer, Kaufman Hutchins attended Southern Methodist University in Texas where she made the National Dean’s List and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a minor in Foreign Languages and Literature.
Kaufman Hutchins began helping charitable organizations in the Dallas area after graduation. She worked eight years with Trinity Park Conservancy where she concentrated on fundraising, education, design, and development of the Trinity River Park as part of the Dallas/Trinity River Corridor Project. According to Park City People, the conservancy raised $150 million during her time there.
Kaufman Hutchins married her husband, Jered Hutchins, in 2015 and she gave birth to their first child Melrose Miller Hutchins in January 2019.
Dalton Kaufman said Jered and Melrose flew from Texas to see the family two weeks ago.
“It was incredibly positive and therapeutic,” Kaufman said. “It really helped with the grieving process. It was a really beautiful thing.”
Kaufman said when he tells his Wilson soccer players about his sister, he’ll be sure to include what she taught him back in 2000.
“If you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” Kaufman said. “You can be a freshman and make an impact on the team. You can also make an impact on the team with your leadership, kindness and empathy. The human factor. There’s more than just putting balls in the net. That’s what Tierney brought to that team. She made everyone she met feel like they were the closest friends. That’s something that’s really special, and something I wish I had.”
Memorial services in Long Beach and Dallas are being planned for a later date.
