Saturday, May 12, friends and family of the late Malik Sparkman gathered at Malik’s gravesite to celebrate his 19th birthday. Attendees released balloons prepared for the occasion by Windi Raper’s Carried Away Creations.
Malik passed away on May 17, 2015, after a nearly year-long battle with kidney cancer. Malik’s death received national attention after his Coffee Trojan teammates carried his casket through the tunnel of Jardine Stadium one last time. Malik’s life has also been the subject of a short film produced by the NFL Network.
Ten months after his passing, Malik remains an inspiration to the entire community. He is gone but certainly not forgotten, and he lives on in the memories of his family, friends, and teammates. A video of the birthday celebration, produced by the Coffee County Georgia Police Scanner Facebook page, can be seen below.
