‘His legacy deserves to be remembered,’ New documentary honors Shawnee Mission West's Andre Maloney

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.

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It's been 13 years since Shawnee Mission West’s Andre Maloney died following a stroke on the football field. This year, a former classmate created a documentary to keep Andre’s memory alive.

Gurpreet Singh's film, "Beyond 29," centers on who Maloney was as a person and the legacy he left behind.

"This documentary starts with who Andre was… and then us remembering his legacy," Singh said.

Maloney was a star player before his death in 2013. Singh remembers his final game vividly.

Gurpreet Singh

"I saw him right before the game. He scored a touchdown. And then as he's going to the sideline… tells one of his teammates, 'I can't feel like one side of my body,' and then just collapses," Singh said.

For 13 years, friends and family have remembered his legacy.

"Andre was really he wasn't vocal, but his work ethic in the weight room and like on the field really spoke," Singh said.

"Just the kind of athlete, kind of kid, kind of player you want on your team," Former SMW football coach Tim Callaghan said in the documentary.

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Singh wanted the rest of the community to remember him too.

"Kids don't even know who Andre Maloney is," Singh said. “His legacy deserves to be remembered.”

In 2025, the Simone Awards dedicated the first Andre Maloney Defensive Back Award. That is when Singh started the project, interviewing former friends and coaches to shine a light on who Maloney was.

The unfortunate reality is that Maloney's name is one in a list of sports-related deaths in the region. William Jewell lost a Liberty-born player in August.

"With players passing, you see more behind the helmet than you're used to when you're seeing them on the field," Singh said.

The film, "Beyond 29," takes viewers beyond Maloney's helmet and his motto.

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"His motto was ‘make it big,’ and I believe we owe it to him to have him make it big," Singh said.

At the end of the month, Singh plans to host a premiere at Shawnee Mission West, inviting alumni, current students and families to learn about who Maloney was and the legacy he left behind.

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