Klein Oak basketball player and mother die in car crash. How to help

The Klein Oak High School community is grieving the death of senior basketball player Kenrik Kabano, who was killed along with his mother, Rosine, in a car crash earlier this week. Kabano, who turned 18 on April 15, was preparing to graduate this May. He played basketball for Klein Oak after transferring from The John Cooper School and made an immediate impact both on and off the court for coach Joshua Ervin. “I am grateful to have known Kenrik ‘Kenny’ Kabano, one of the greatest young men I’ve ever met,” Ervin said in a statement. “His intelligence, respectfulness and phenomenal character were evident in every interaction. He always greeted you with the best smile. I will remember your smile forever, Kenny! My heartfelt condolences go out to Kenny’s friends and the Kabano family during this difficult time.” There is a GoFundMe page set up to assist the family in the aftermath of the accident. According to that page, Kenrik and Rosine are survived by his father, Mike; sister Kelia, who’s a high school freshman; and brother Kai, a fourth-grader. Organized by a friend of the family, the page says funds will be used for memorial and funeral expenses as well as providing additional financial support for the family. As of Tuesday night, more than $24,000 had been donated. The GoFundMe page says Kenrik was known for his character, kindness and genuine nature and that Rosine was a devoted and strong mother who shared a special bond with her son. “Kenny Kabano was one of the absolute best young people on our campus at Klein Oak,” Klein Oak football coach and athletic director Brandon Carpenter said in a statement. “Aside from being a phenomenal basketball player and first-team all-district player, he was named to the academic all-district and THSCA academic all-state teams. Kenny was a kind person, genuinely beloved by all that knew him and a true example of a Klein Oak student-athlete. He will be greatly missed.” Kabano also played for Rwanda during the 2023 FIBA U16 AfroBasket tournament in Tunisia. The crash occurred Monday on I-45 near Madisonville.