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Community Mourns Death Of Teen Killed In Silo

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A small Minnesota community is mourning the loss of an 18-year-old football star who died in a silo accident Saturday.

Craig Wiechmann's body was found pinned inside a silo on his family's farm just outside Melrose, Minn.

Leroy Ludwig, Wiechmann's cousin, said that on Friday night Wiechmann was communicating on Facebook. Ludwig said it's hard for him to believe his cousin is gone.

According to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office, they were called to the family's farm in Millwood Township shortly before 4 p.m. They found Wiechmann dead in the silo.

"He was out for the family," Ludwig said. "He was out for his friends. He really cared a lot."

Ludwig said his cousin was full of life and had a caring spirit.

Wiechmann was a studnet and an athlete at Melrose High School. One look at his Facebook page and you can see he was well liked and respected.

Friends and classmates paid their respects on the social media website over the weekend.

One person wrote: Thinking of you and that great smile of yours.You will be missed by many.

Ludwig said he does not know the circumstances that lead to Wiechmann's death. All he knows is that he will be missed.

"He was a great worker; he helped on the farm all the time," Ludwig said. "He always made time for family, always made time for his friends."

Ludwig said many in the family believed Wiechmann would one day take over the family farm.

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