2024 GPS Scholarship Recipient...Dalton McElyea
The legacy is passed on...
Dalton is the 2nd recipient of the GPS Scholarship. Dalton is a R-Junior Quarterback from Kilgore Texas. Dalton and Graylan were good friends spending some time hog hunting and visiting Dalton's sister in Aggieland!
"Graylan was an amazing friend and always a blast to be around. I'll never forget all the good times we spent together and the smile he always had on his face. Thank ya'll for the opportunity to be a part of carrying on his legacy." DM
GPS...His legacy will live on at SFA
First Scholarship Recipient -Lawton Rikel -April 22, 2023
Lawton Rikel is the first recipient of the Graylan Spring Scholarship at SFA. Lawton became a mentor and close friend to Graylan throughout the summer and first semester.
My name is Lawton Rikel and I’m a current student-athlete at Stephen F. Austin State University. I play wide receiver for the Lumberjack football team and I’m currently pursuing my Masters of Business Administration. I graduated with a degree in Kinesiology, Spring of 22. I’m the youngest of 4 siblings from Canyon, Texas and my parents are Randy and Joni Rikel.
I had the privilege of hosting Graylan on his official visit at SFA. We spent the weekend in Nacogdoches eating at Auntie’s Pasta, axe throwing, and introducing him to all my friends and teammates. I’ll always remember Graylan, in his letterman jacket, walking into a room as a young high schooler and immediately capturing everyone’s attention with his humor and charm. Little did we all know, that weekend would blossom into our brotherhood.
Vandegrift Baseball Honors Graylan by putting the LLG patch on their uniforms for the 2023 season
River Ridge Elementary #LiveLikeGray Award
London Marek and Asher Johnson
River Ridge Elementary would like to honor Graylan by giving out our very first #LiveLikeGray award to one 5th grade boy and girl who emulate many of the same character traits that Graylan did. The selection committee considered many qualities when choosing the recipients of this award. In addition to athletic ability, students should exhibit qualities such as humility, kindness, and sportsmanship. They are friendly to all. They are well liked by their peers. They tend to avoid drama and they exhibit all of our Rattler Pride characteristics day in and day out - they are positive, respectful, inquisitive, dependable, and engaged.
Coach Tammie Guthrie
Celebration of LIFE
Graylan's Celebration of Life Ceremony took place at Austin Ridge Bible Church on February 5th with attendance just under 2000. His Vandegrift High School classmates wore purple ties in his honor. Viper football players wore their Black Viper jerseys and the SFA football team, who bussed in from Nacogdoches, wore black football jerseys as well.
LIFE GIFT DONOR
Graylan decided to become an organ and tissue donor when he was renewing his driver's license near his 18th birthday. He asked a few questions about it but we did not know he actually signed up for it until the hospital showed us the heart on his drivers license. He was able to donate his heart ,two kidney's, liver, eyes, and an abundant amount of tissue. What a gift he was able to leave behind...Life in others!
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Graylan received the prize...JESUS
1 Corinthians 9:24
