Within the two years Christian Saulsberry spent at Northpoint Christian College, the affect he had was typically laborious to place into phrases for the members of the family and mates that spoke at a a vigil Tuesday night time, honoring him.
His smile was contagious; he beloved all people and as gifted of a soccer participant as he was, he was much more humble about it. That’s how most of the tons of of folks that attended Saulsberry’s vigil described him.
Saulsberry’s affect was so important, Northpoint Christian head of faculty Jim Ferguson introduced through the vigil, that Saulsberry’s No. 2 soccer jersey could be retired on the first house soccer recreation subsequent season.
“That simply proves how a lot of an affect he made round right here to all people that he is aware of,” mentioned Collin Tatko, Saulsberry’s childhood good friend. “He was simply real with all people.”
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Saulsberry was tragically killed in a taking pictures in Partitions, Mississippi on Friday night time. He was 25.
Tatko grew up with Saulsberry and was a baseball teammate of his via center college and soccer teammates when Saulsberry transferred from Southaven to Northpoint after his sophomore season.
Saulsberry and Tatko have been like brothers. Tatko even mentioned Saulsberry would look out for Tatko’s sister like she was his personal sister.
That’s simply who Saulsberry was.
“It’s the smile that he had, the perspective that he had,” Tatko mentioned. “He didn’t act like he was higher than anyone. … We deliberate this a day in the past and all these individuals confirmed up. It’s troublesome to clarify.”
The customer’s facet of the gymnasium was stuffed to capability as family and friends honored Saulsberry’s life. From their favourite tales to temporary interactions that they had with Saulsberry, to a few of the ultimate moments they shared, it was an emotional night time to recollect him.
“The Northpoint household is hurting proper now, his household is hurting proper now,” mentioned Saulsberry’s former coach Greg Wallace after listening to of his loss of life Saturday. “There’s not an entire lot you’ll be able to put into phrases for the emotions you’re having proper now.”
Saulsberry went on to have knowledgeable soccer profession, signing a cope with the Edmonton Elks within the Canadian Soccer League, following a standout rookie season this previous season. As a lot as Saulsberry completed in his life, he gave much more again.
Virtually everybody that spoke through the vigil talked about how Saulsberry beloved all people. He’d give away his gloves to youthful gamers and he incessantly got here again to Northpoint to assist practice the present gamers.
“He beloved individuals greater than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Tatko mentioned. “… He had a lot love in his coronary heart for anyone that was round.”
Although his time with Northpoint was temporary, his legacy will reside on in Southaven. Alongside along with his jersey being retired, one other of his former Northpoint coaches, Chris Cascio, mentioned there are plans to hopefully have a memorial on the soccer area underneath the scoreboard with Christian’s quantity and the phrase “Run, Chris, Run” due to his velocity.
“There’s little question Chris will at all times reside and be part of this college,” Cascio mentioned.
Attain Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on Twitter @wynstonw__.