MGCCC soccer player killed in tragic crash remembered as loyal, faithful leader

Landon Perry was driven and devoted.

He was the kind of teenager who insisted on Mother’s Day flowers, who never missed class and whose leadership and talent on the soccer field influenced his teammates and the young athletes he mentored.

“He was going to have your back and protect you like no other,” his mother, Amber Perry, said.

Perry, 18, had just started playing for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College this school year. But now his family is grieving after a car hit and killed him on Sunday as he was riding near campus on an electric scooter.

Authorities said the collision was a tragic accident. And Perry’s loss has shaken loved ones, friends and teammates across the region, who recall him as a remarkable teenager who was strong in his faith, disciplined on the field and in school, and highly respected by coaches.

Perry grew up in Stone County and began playing soccer at a young age. He moved to the Coast in eighth grade, competed across the country and overseas in elite soccer leagues and won two state titles. He signed with Gulf Coast earlier this year and graduated in the spring from D’Iberville High School.

He was mature for his years and found great joy in mentoring young soccer players. He spent hours training them and taught them “so much more than soccer,” his mother said. Perry once gave a player he was training money to buy flowers for Mother’s Day. “Treat your mother well today,” he instructed.

Still, Perry was humble, so his family is only now learning some of the stories about his generosity.

“We never knew,” his father, Josh Perry, said.

Perry, a team captain at D’Iberville, often showed his character on the soccer field. Once, one of his teammates was red-carded over a disrespectful encounter. After the game, Perry apologized to school leaders and promised it would not happen again.

“He was very big on respect,” his father said, “and doing it the right way.”

Perry loyally defended his teammates and was upset if a practice was canceled. His family said his talent was so great that he was attracting interest from college coaches as early as ninth grade. Other ambitious young soccer players across the community sought his advice, and he helped them put together video of their play and reach out to college coaches.

Amber and Josh Perry said their son was known for his faith. He attended church on Sundays “not because we told him,” his father said, but because he wanted to. As a child, Perry asked his mother if they could buy some Bibles and go to Chick-fil-A to share the gospel. He asked customers at nearby tables if he could sit with them to talk about faith, his mother recalled, and he also gave them the Bibles.

He made a point to show people he cared through thoughtful notes, would call out mean-spiritedness when he saw it and never sought to be the center of attention. His soccer position — a defender — does not come with the glory that often goes to forwards and other goal-scoring players. But his father said it suited him well.

“It’s just hard work and determination and celebrating the success of others,” Josh Perry said.

Once, when his parents were discussing a friend whose niece needed a car, Perry overheard. He offered to give away his car, which had belonged to his deceased uncle.

Just recently, he told his mother he might want to go into law enforcement after graduation, maybe as a state trooper.

“I want to help people,” his parents recalled him saying.

Amber Perry still sees her son’s influence in his younger brother and the players he trained.

“I know,” she said, “that his story is not over.”

This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 2:15 PM.