DANVILLE, Va. – A life cut short has left the Danville community in deep sorrow.
The community gathered to say goodbye to a beloved student-athlete who unexpectedly passed away last Sunday.
The passing of an 18-year-old Danville native has left the entire community in mourning. Hundreds gathered at the Dan River Church to celebrate Alex Van Pelt’s life as a leader, on and off the field.
“It’s just amazing to me, the lives that he touched, the love that the community has given him, this is a testament to who he was, and how much he loved life,” said Christie Van Pelt, Alex’s mother.
With a bright future ahead, Alex had been recruited by Mount St. Mary’s as a right-handed pitcher and was a standout player at Chatham High School, where he struck out 117 batters as a senior.
“He had the best summer of his life, so we were ready to watch him go to college, and he’s a lot like me, he loves life and knows no stranger so I was excited for him, I was ready for his next chapter,” said Christie.
But Alex’s impact extended far beyond the baseball field. Reggie Keen, one of Alex’s summer league coaches, speaks of his disbelief and the effect that Alex had on him.
“I had just talked to Alex numerous times over the past two weeks just about how he was adjusting to school. Because we had so many great conversations, we laughed, we joked, it was a total shock,” said Reggie.
Christie Van Pelt now has a new mission: to support student-athletes.
“Whatever they need to get through the stresses that being an athlete as a young adult brings. There will be a foundation established in his name and his story will be told,” she said.
In the wake of this tragedy, the community rallied around the Van Pelt family. A GoFundMe campaign for funeral expenses raised over $35,000, a testament to the immense support from those who knew and loved Alex.