COTTAGE GROVE – A community is in mourning for a beloved high school student, athlete, son, brother, and friend, Darby Raymond Ladd, who passed away on Oct. 29.
In the services announcement, the Ladd family noted that Darby “had the biggest heart, the brightest smile, and a passion for his family, friends, and football.”
Darby, No. 73, was a defensive lineman with the Cottage Grove Lions. The senior was also a snowboarder, basketball player, and track athlete who competed in the 100-meter dash, shot put, discus, and javelin.
“Whether on the field, out in the woods, or just hanging out with those he loved, Darby made every moment better simply by being himself,” according to the family announcement.
Cottage Grove resident and football mom Amy Short recognized the heavy hearts of Darby’s teammates at Lions’ final game of the season against Crescent Valley on Oct. 31 – a game she said was voluntary, but they wanted to play anyway to honor their friend.
“No one would’ve expected or been upset if they didn’t play, but they chose to dedicate the game to their fallen teammate,” Short said, whose son is Jeremy Kelley, No. 6 defensive back.
Remembering a teammate
At the game, students stretched a banner across the stands inscribed with “Darby No. 73 Ladd” and adorned with drawings and classmates’ signatures. A shrine featuring a collage, flowers, and Lions memorabilia was also displayed.
Before kickoff, the team held a pregame tribute to Ladd, and many students noted the symbolic significance of the game ending with a combined total of 73 points.
“Their hearts were heavy already. (A young person’s death) is hard enough to deal with without blaming yourself, but when that person is a member of a team, it weighs even harder because all those boys felt like they could’ve done something more,” Short said.
Sharing the pain, Short came up with the idea to make goodie bags for the team by soliciting leftover candy from Halloween festivities around town.
“I just wanted to do something to make those boys smile. They lost their friend. They lost their game. They didn’t get to go out trick-or-treating. My heart was just sad for them,” she said.
Community rallies
About five folks donated, Short said, and a cheerleader’s mother coordinated similar goodie bags for the girls. Kelley said that the treats were a big hit among the team.
The family invites all who knew and loved him “to come together to share stories, smiles, and memories as we honor the incredible young man he was and the light he’ll always be in our hearts.”
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 11 a.m. at Living Faith Assembly, 467 S. 10th St., Cottage Grove.
Sgt. Tim Wallace with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said the Medical Examiners Division is still determining the cause of death, though no foul play has been suspected.
Wallace noted that two other deaths occurred last week in South Lane, and those cases are also still being investigated.
