COLUMBIA, Ill. — Friends and family of 15-year-old Crawford Bryant gathered for a public memorial service at Oerter Park on Thursday morning.
Bryant was the passenger in a car when it crashed over Labor Day weekend.
Columbia High School canceled class today so students, staff and family could attend his funeral.
Columbia, Illinois, has a population of just under 11,000, and seemingly all of them were packed into Oerter Park for the memorial service.
“Today is a celebration of life of Crawford Bryant who was near and dear to everyone’s heart in this community,” Jill Papenburg said.
Crawford Bryant was a standout on the soccer field where he earned a spot on Columbia High’s varsity team as a sophomore.
“His team, whether it was club or high school, was like another family for him,” a teammate said during the memorial.
“He was this gentle, soft-spoken, kindhearted young man,” Bryant’s former coach said. “Then he stepped on the field and suddenly became Superman.”
As tenacious as Crawford was on the field, friends and family alike say he was always smiling off the pitch.
“He had the most contagious laugh ever,” one unidentified friend said. “It could be the most unfunny joke ever, but just hearing his laugh could make you crack up.”
While the community still struggles to wrap their mind around why the 15-year-old was taken from them so soon.
“How can this happen to someone so innocent, so sweet, how can something this terrible happen,” Bryant’s former coach said.
Those who knew Crawford best say simply having him in their life was a blessing.
“We feel like he was a gift from god,” Papenburg said. “Even though we only had 15 years with him, God chose all of us to spend those 15 years with this angel.”
Bryant was also honored Friday night at a football game, where Columbia and Waterloo players put aside their rivalry in his memory before taking the field.
“He was just amazing. He was a breath of fresh air,” said Sara Dreher, a friend of the Bryant family.
“Crawford was a wonderful young man just full of life," said Hank Harrison, Crawford’s uncle. "He didn’t have a care in the world. He would do anything for you, and I miss him tremendously."
“Waterloo and Columbia have a rich history of friendships and battles on the football field, the basketball court and soccer field. The support has been wonderful from both communities. If anything good can come out of this, hopefully there’s a lot of young people out there who will think twice about the things and the choices they make,” added the boy’s uncle.
Crawford’s big brother, Hudson, is a linebacker for Columbia’s football team. Friday night, he took to the field in honor of his younger brother.
“Crawford’s inspiration in life was Hudson. He was his hero,” said Harrison.
“I just think it’s amazing to see the whole community come together and honor a wonderful child who was taken too soon,” said Columbia High School parent Dana Weik.