Alyssa Marie Kruppenbacker, 14, passed away on July 6, 2026, in Duquoin, Illinois. She was born February 11, 2012, in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and lived in Florida her whole life. Her family on both sides comes from New York State.

Alyssa loved racing more than anything. It was her passion, and she had big plans to one day go pro. She also had plans to join the Air Force to get her pilot's license and help pay for college. She loved school too, especially math and science. She also dreamed of one day applying to the astronaut program with the hope to one day going to Mars.

In January 2026, Alyssa started homeschooling so she could learn at her own pace and have more time for racing. She was in 8th grade but already doing 9th and 10th grade work. She was a straight-A student her whole life and won several awards over the years for reading and good conduct, including the county's “Lamp of Learning” award.

Alyssa loved her family. She's survived by her mom, Ashley; her dad, Jon; her younger brother, Jonathan; her grandmothers, Linda and Karen; and her grandfathers, Rich, Bill, and Charles. She always looked out for her brother and took pride in taking care of him — he thought of her as his best friend. She loved holidays and time with family, and especially loved sleepovers at her grandmother’s house, where the kids would play for hours. She'd been doing that since she was a baby.

Last year, Alyssa wrote out a list of her life goals and taped it to her bedroom door. At the bottom, she wrote:

"Never give up! You only live once, so never back down, seize your moment and win your game of life! Don't procrastinate either, 'cause that's how you miss your chance, your ONLY chance!"

A memorial for close friends and family will be held on Saturday, August 1st, at Lankford Funeral Home with the visitation beginning at 12:00 PM and the service starting at 2:00 PM.

A public memorial will be held Saturday, July 25th, at the Southern Training Facility in Bainbridge, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Back on Track at: https://givebutter.com/KruppenbackerFamily