Ole Miss student Wyatt James Thistle died on Tuesday, March 11 while on a boating excursion in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with his friends, according to a Dignity Memorial Obituary.

Thistle, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Mississippi, was pursuing a Bachelor’s in General Business.

Thistle was born on Oct. 20, 2004, in Dallas. His family moved to Seattle and then Chicago before settling in Alamo Heights, Texas, where he attended school starting in the second grade.

After graduating from high school in 2023, Thistle enrolled at Ole Miss. According to the Dignity obituary, “He was incredibly proud to be a Rebel and could often be seen sporting his favorite Ole Miss shirts.”

Thistle was a member of the Mississippi Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, where he served as rush chairman. A statement from the fraternity reads, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our brother, Wyatt Thistle. … He had goals, drive and a positive spirit that touched countless lives. He will be remembered for the lasting impact he made. Wyatt was always the funniest person in the room and had the most distinct laugh imaginable.”

Travel was another of Thistle’s passions, according to Dignity.

A funeral service will take place on Sunday, March 23 at 3 p.m. at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio. A livestream of the service is available on the Dignity Memorial website. 

The Thistle family will receive friends on Saturday, March 22, from 5-7 p.m. at Porter Loring Mortuary. 

Thistle was preceded in death by his grandfather Wyatt Thistle, great-grandparents Sidney and Jean Freeborn and Lynn and Dorothy Strause and his cousin Harley Fetterman.

Thistle is survived by his mother Kate Struase (Jimmy Malone), father David Thistle, grandparents James and Kathryn Strause and Edna Thistle, uncles Dough and Chris Strause and Bill Thistle, cousins Bradley, Kayla, Savanna and Clara and great aunts Beth (Kevin) and Lynda. 

In memory of Thistle, Harley’s Wallet and the Live Like Lou Foundation are gathering funds. The Alamo Heights School Foundation, his high school, is also collecting funds via check. 

Campus resources, such as the University Counseling Center and UMatter, are available free of charge for those needing support.