Teammates honor Malik Sparkman, carry his casket across high school football field

By foxsports
Published

An emotional scene unfolded in Coffee County, Georgia, Sunday as teammates granted what was said to be the final wish of 18-year-old football player Malik Sparkman.

Sparkman, who died on May 17 after battling kidney cancer, had reportedly asked to go through the tunnel of Coffee High School's football field with his teammates one last time, and so the Trojans carried his casket through the team entrance and across the gridiron.

Sparkman, who played linebacker, reportedly had his life celebrated by more than 500 friends and family at his funeral.

According to the Coffee County Police Scanner Facebook page, where photos of the ceremony first appeared, Sparkman's teammates "held their heads high until the video started showing a ... clip of Malik," and then they began to cry.

WSB-TV in Atlanta's Jovita Moore spoke with Sparkman's girlfriend on Wednesday.

"He always said he wasn't ever gonna give up, and God has him," said Tia Williams, who told WSB-TV that she met Sparkman in sixth grade. "He was a fighter."

Williams said the school, community and his fellow football players all provided a strong support unit. 

"They're hanging in there as a team. It brought their team closer. They're strong," she said. "They did take it hard at the funeral, but they know he's not suffering anymore."

Sparkman would have graduated next year. The Florida State Seminoles were reportedly recruiting him.

Emotions and sentiments ran high on social media.