Friends of Deputy Wyman are speaking out about his tragic death. Our Beth Jones spoke with some of those close to him who say his faith defined Kurt Wyman.

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ONEIDA COUNTY, N.Y. -- For Deputy Kurt Wyman, faith was a way of life. And it started here, at what once was the Maranatha Christian Academy, closed for several years now because of shrinking enrollment. It was where his former teacher, Kathleen Putney, says Wyman first embraced his spirituality in elementary school. And she says, he did so with vigor for someone so young.

Putney, said "I think he took it to heart, what the word of God has to say about how we should live and how we should conduct our lives and he took that seriously and did his best to integrate that into his life as much as he could."

That spiritual journey continued and brought him and his wife, Lauren, to Crosspoint Church in Whitesboro. Senior Pastor Sam Macri says right away, he saw someone special.

"I really kind of liked him from the very beginning. He had a really wonderful upbeat personality, great smile. There was just a sense of excitement about him," said Macri.

Macri says he and Lauren were active volunteers in the church, helping with the youth ministry and teaching bible classes. Wyman, he says, set an example for others.

"He was that unique individual who knew how to weave their faith into their everyday life."

As friends and family try to move on following the tragic loss of Deputy Wyman they are taking comfort in each other. They say the only thing more overwhelming than their grief is their gratitude for having known him.

Putney was overcome with emotion when she thought of her former student.

"Privileged...to have known him"

Macri further extolled Deputy Wyman's character in saying, "A man that believed what he lived and lived what he believed and I pray that more men and women will be inspired by that and find the joy that he did living that out."

A public memorial is in the works for Deputy Wyman, but because of the large turnout expected, a venue has not been decided on yet.