To many people, the colors orange and black are symbolic of Halloween.
To the community of LaPorte, Indiana it is symbolic of Slicer pride.
On September 25th, Junior Linebacker Jake West, a 17-year-old LaPorte High School student, was running laps on Kiwanis Field during practice as he had done many times before.
Yet, on that day, the outcome was very different. Jake collapsed on the field and was pronounced dead a short time later at IU Health – LaPorte Hospital. It was later determined that he had an undetected condition referred to as right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
Days later, the town would be drenched in a sea of orange and black, showing support for the friends and family of the young football player. Over 3,300 members of the community sat in the stands at Kiwanis Field to pay tribute and say goodbye to Jake.
Seventeen years doesn’t seem like a large enough amount of time to make an impact, but it was for him. Whether you knew Jake or not, his message or impact on others, was simply not to take life for granted, but to live each day to its fullest.
I was impressed by area football programs that paid tribute to the team and to Jake by wearing orange and black socks or hanging the jersey #26, which was Jake’s number, on the sideline during the game.
On Friday night as I scrolled through Jake's Tribute page on Facebook, I was proud to be a Slicer. I was reminded of another time, nearly 20 years ago, when the community pulled together because of the loss of another student. This time, it was completely different circumstances, with many similarities.
LaPorte High School student, Rayna Rison, was a junior when she disappeared from her after school job. Time passed before her family was told she had been found dead several miles from where she had last been seen. Much like Jake, Rayna’s death came way too soon in her life and her family and friends were left wondering why they weren’t given the chance to say goodbye.
During Rayna’s disappearance, and even today as they are seeking justice for the man allegedly responsible for her death, the community showed their support for the family by wearing orange ribbons.
I think back to when Rayna disappeared. I was only a Sophomore at LaPorte High School and I knew Rayna, but she was just an acquaintance and someone I knew from being in a few clubs together. I remember the somber feeling of being in school with those that knew her well. I bet the feeling is quite similar at LaPorte High School this week.
LaPorte High School has a population of roughly 1,890 students. I feel for the students in his classes who are missing Jake and his presence in the classroom. I feel for his fellow Football team members who will continue to mourn his loss on the field. But I’m honored to be a Slicer and honored to wear orange and black in memory of Jake West and Rayna Rison, two 17-year-olds who impacted the lives of many people they never even met.
