‘Stronger than you think’: Family establishes scholarship to honor young baseball player’s memory
· Yahoo Sports
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Davis Heller was playing fall ball in South Carolina when he suddenly passed away. Now, his family is working to ensure that his memory lives on and helps others.
Inside a journal written by Davis are the words: “Keep going, because you’re stronger than you think you are.”
Melanie and DJ Heller now live by those words written by their son.
“Our daughter found his journal and his baseball bag, and it’s really become a huge tribute for him,” Melanie told Channel 9’s Erika Jackson.
The family’s strength was tested nearly four years ago when Davis suddenly died from an undiagnosed heart issue.
“He just had such a rare impact on so many people and so many lives at such a young age for 22 years,” Melanie said.
The Hellers say most of those 22 years were filled with baseball. Davis played for the University of Alabama before transferring to North Greenville University.
“If he wasn’t in the starting lineup, if he wasn’t in the lineup, he didn’t change who he was. He was always supporting this team," Melanie said.
That’s why they created the Davis Heller Memorial Foundation. It provides scholarships to student-athletes.
“People like [Davis] are often the best teammate in the world, but they never get rewarded because athletic departments just aren’t handing out, you know, personality scholarships,” said Noah Takac, the recipient of the first scholarship.
It’s the teammates who are most supportive and dedicated who earn the Davis Heller Memorial Scholarship.
Takac is Davis’ friend and teammate at North Greenville University.
“There’s not much physical reward you get anymore for being just a good teammate, and that’s kind of the goal for us, is to seek out those people that are like true glue,” Takac said.
The Hellers believe being a good teammate goes beyond stats and batting averages. They say Davis was proof of that, and it’s how they now want to honor others who have those same qualities.
“It’s bigger than baseball, it’s bigger than sports, you know; it’s who you are and who your character is, is going to be, [that] makes you successful in life,” Melanie said.