The Coffee County community said their final goodbyes Sunday to Trojan Malik Sparkman, the Coffee High student who lost his battle to cancer last week.
Following here is a firsthand account of Malik’s final journey to Jardine Stadium written by Russell Flanagan, friend of Sparkman and page owner of Coffee County Ga. Police Scanner on Facebook:
Malik Sparkman got his last wish made today at Jardine Stadium and that wish was to go through the Trojan tunnel one last time with his teammates, who did not let him down.
I want to say that I have been to a lot of funerals in my lifetime, but I don’t think any have been as pretty as this one. Harrell’s Funeral Home did Malik proud.
I had spoken with Mr.Harrell about two or three times a day since Wednesday about what I needed to do and what time to have my part set, and he pulled off an almost perfect funeral with well over 500 people showing.
Coach Garrett had all the football players dressed out and ready to go when called to line the field. I was so proud of the Coffee High Trojan football players. The guys held their heads high until the video started showing a video clip of Malik then, one by one, they broke.
I was always told it takes a weak man to hold back the tears, but a strong man to let it out and wash all the pain away. I know that’s what the players did today.
I’ve also been told that a sports team is a band of brothers, they rise to the top as one and fall as one. I’m so proud of each and every football player that stood on that field today for their fallen brother.
Biker clubs came out in support of Malik and his family by giving an escort from Malik’s home then stood lining the sides of the walkway showing the family the path to take.
Sheriff Doyle Wooten was at the funeral, not as a sheriff but as a friend. He had the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office help Douglas Police Chief Gary Casteloes’ officers make sure the family and friends of Malik got from place to place along with the bike clubs. All the officers stood tall with hands behind them as family and friends passed by.
It’s not every day you can say I’ve seen history, but today I can say that.
Malik Sparkman (REST IN PEACE), I guess that was my last video I’ll ever make for you. I hope you liked it today when you watched over us from heaven.
– Russell Flanagan