It was maybe the most heart-wrenching Senior Night ever, but it left everyone in attendance with a heart-warming moment they'll never forget.
Collins Hill's girls soccer team lost an amazing young supporter on Tuesday morning, when its manager, 14-year-old freshman Taylor Brooks,
the sister of senior player Kristen Brooks, passed away after fighting a rare cancer.
Her memory was on the mind of many later that day as the Eagles celebrated their seniors prior to a game against Mill Creek.
The Collins Hill players honored Taylor by wearing pink T-shirts in warm-ups, then went even farther by starting the game down one player.
Wanting to honor the Eagles' loss, Mill Creek also opened the game with 10 on the field.
"(Taylor) was an inspiration to (our players)," Collins Hill girls coach Jeff Tinklepaugh said.
"I think their experience in sportsmanship (on Tuesday) will be one that these young ladies won't forget for the rest of their lives."
They won't forget Taylor, either.
The teen wasn't on the varsity soccer team, but chose to be a manager this season for the Eagles and her only sister, Kristen, who is headed to Berry College on scholarship.
She was a black belt in Tang Soo Do and played the guitar, living the life of an average teen until last July when she was diagnosed with cancer six days before her 14th birthday.
Her fight was made worse because the type of cancer - desmoplastic small round cell tumor - was so rare.
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta sees only three or so cases of it per year.
During the course of her treatment, Taylor made quite an impact. Individuals made donations in her name to CHOA, and she asked that they be used to purchase equipment.
The result for Scottish Rite: PlayStations for every cancer patient's room, two flat-screen TVs, 10 desktop computers, two printers, two work stations and two laptop
computers, among other items.
Taylor even got to cut the ribbon at CHOA's new Aflac Cancer Center inpatient unit.
The donations showed a bit of her character, which also was witnessed over the holidays as she solicited donations so cancer patients and
their families could have a meal and presents.
"In this last year, (Taylor's) focus was whatever she's been given, she wanted to give back to others," said Cathy McFalls, Taylor's second
cousin and a member of the Collins Hill community.
"She was so quiet before (the cancer), just a really quiet kid ... . Once she got cancer, she totally changed.
She was outgoing, outspoken.
She just wanted to do everything she could to make this world a better place without cancer."
Family and friends will gather Saturday at Bill Head Funeral Home in Duluth to honor Taylor, with visitation from 12 to 2 p.m. and a memorial service at 2 p.m.
Taylor deserves a major tribute, much like the one she got Tuesday night at the Collins Hill soccer game.
"(The Brooks family) was the first name called out (on senior night), and they got a standing ovation," Tinklepaugh said.
"There were a lot of hugs (Tuesday) night. It was very moving."
Will Hammock can be reached via e-mail at will.hammock@gwinnettdailypost.com. His column appears on Thursdays.
