BROOKHAVEN — In his last few weeks, Ashton Kemp was able to go on some special hunts, achieve his dreams by being a game warden in Mississippi and Louisiana and receive his deer mount quicker than anyone. He was battling terminal Genetic Metastatic Melanoma.

Kemp passed away Wednesday peacefully in his grandmother’s arms according the family’s social media posts. He died three days shy of his 16th birthday. A celebration of life will be held on his birthday, Nov. 16 in Hammond, Louisiana. 

Kemp was from Independence, Louisiana but took a trip to Brookhaven to be sworn in as a Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Game Warden. Outside of Union Church, he was able to kill his first buck. Lincoln County taxidermist Allen Morgan was able to mount the Axis deer and send it to Kemp in about a week.

Col. Jerry Carter, MDWFP Chief of Law Enforcement, spoke about Kemp in an update at the department’s monthly commission meeting.

“We sadly received notification the young man passed away. We will have representation from MDWFP at his funeral,” Carter said. “I can say I’m truly proud of the efforts and thankful of all who played a part in making everything happen for this young man.”