April 29, 2017
East Texas Baptist University students, faculty and football players honored the memory of two of their own on Friday, which marked the one-year anniversary of the two former football players' death.
ETBU freshmen football players and friends Darrian "D.J." McClintock, Jr., 18 and Norvontre "Tre" Harrison, 19, drowned on April 28, 2016, while swimming in the "clay pits" off Bell Cutoff Road in Marshall.
Family members of both McClintock and Harrison were on campus Friday for the memorial service.
"Today we reflect on the lives of two young men, who will always be a part of the fabric of this institution," ETBU President Blair Blackburn said Friday. "Today as we reflect, we are somber, we mourn, we grieve, but we also celebrate their eternal life with Jesus. D.J. and Tre had the living water and now they feast on it in the presence of our Lord Jesus."
Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church Pastor James Webb said though this is a painful time for family and friends of the two young men, he is certain Tre and D.J. would want everyone to continue persevering.
"Don't stop," Webb said. "It would be easy to be somber in this time of grief but Psalms 34:1 says 'I will bless the Lord at all times and his praise shall continuously be in my mouth.' Don't stop. Sometimes life hurts and throws us for a loop but I want to encourage all of us to not stop."
Webb said three things can keep people strong during this time of mourning: "to pray without ceasing, don't stop persevering and don't stop praising."
"I believe D.J. and Tre would say 'don't stop' and one day, if you know Jesus, you'll be able to meet with D.J. and Tre and praise God forevermore," Webb said.
Blackburn also made a surprise announcement for the family and friends of the two former players.
"We will be starting a campaign to raise the money for two bronze, life-size statues of D.J. and Tre that will sit at the top of Ornelas Stadium," Blackburn said. "The two statues will be arm in arm. They met Jesus arm in arm and they will watch over their brothers on the field, arm in arm."
The stadium is also undergoing an update to add new turf and the name of the turf, provided by Symmetry Turf of Mt. Pleasant, has been renamed Genesis 4:9 by the company. The turf contains 49 ounces of grass and the Bible verse Genesis 4:9 refers to God telling Cain he is his brother's keeper.
"The field will say, 'I Am My Brother's Keeper,'" Blackburn said. "That is a reminder to all of us to hold each other accountable in our commitment to Jesus."
Just after a prayer during the memorial ceremony, ETBU football players released 96 blue balloons and 12 gold balloons in honor of D.J. who wore the No. 12 football jersey as the team's wide receiver and Tre who wore the team's No. 96 jersey as a defensive end.
The family of the two said they were surprised and touched to hear about the life-size statues of the two that will sit atop the university's stadium.
"It really touched me because at the end of the day, I want him to be remembered and this is a way to remember that April 28, 2016 was a day that changed our lives forever," Tre's mother Norvetta Harrison of Shreveport said. "It feels like when ETBU plays football, Tre and D.J. are carrying them and there with them. I think seeing their statues up there at the stadium will give the team momentum."
D.J.'s dad Darrian McClintock of Spring agreed.
"I'm very excited and surprised to learn about the statues," he said. "That's a good way to remember them and the school here is truly like a family, that's no lie. There are wonderful people here who have checked on us and helped us throughout this."
The new turf is currently being put in Ornelas Stadium and Blackburn said the statues will be erected when the funds are raised.