Former College Athlete Dead in Lawn Mower Accident at 57

A former college basketball player has died after an accident involving a lawn mower.

57-year-old Mike Fledderman of Indiana was killed when his lawn mower reportedly tipped over as he went up a steep hill. Fledderman was run over by the mower and died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

Fledderman played college basketball at Purdue, and began his collegiate basketball journey at St. Joseph's College, which competed in Division III.

Fledderman was an accomplished high school athlete, competing in multiple sports.

"An avid sports enthusiast, Mike played basketball and baseball in high school," his obituary reads.

"He even tried cross country for a year, and although he was doing it to get out of basketball conditioning, he was so competitive that he broke a school record."

Fledderman's family described him as "a man of faith, a family man, and a true friend."

"As humble as a man could be, Mike would always say, “Oh, it’s no big deal”, when really the impact he made on others was immeasurable," they said in his obituary, pointing to several moments in which he helped members of his church and community.

Fledderman had four children and is also survived by his wife Jody, to whom he had been married for over 30 years. He also had multiple siblings, along with nieces and nephews.

According to Fledderman's LinkedIn profile, he worked at CleanroomsUSA as an operations manager, holding the position since 2023. His previous employers included Grace Contracting, Omni Fiber, Fiber Rise and Enhanced Telecommunications. 

He was able to use some of his practical experience with his faith, setting up opportunities for virtual Mass and funerals while parishioners were unable to attend in person due to the pandemic.

"While he liked to keep busy, he always found time to drop what he was doing to serve others. Serving others was very important to Mike," the family said in the obituary, also noting that Fledderman enjoyed working on building things, fixing cars, playing sports and the outdoors.

Funeral services for Fledderman are currently set for Tuesday, June 3 at All Saints Parish Life Center at St. Joseph’s Campus. Rest in peace to Mike Fledderman and condolences to his friends, family and loved ones during this difficult time.