VELMA —
Laughs and smiles outweighed tears Saturday morning as more than 150 people took part in the Mayor’s 5K Road Race and 1-Mile Run, which was dedicated to Braylee Henry, who was murdered on June 6.
“Really, (Braylee) would have though this was funny,” said Henry’s mother Gina Henson. “She would be laughing at us that we had to run and she didn’t.”
Runners were given T-shirts that read, “Braylee, Run & Remember,” and featured a heart inside of Angel wings. Others, donned homemade shirts, which were purple (one of Henry’s favorite colors) and read “Remembering.” Henry, who would have been a junior on the Velma-Alma High School cross country team this fall, seemed to be on everyone’s mind, and the community has no plans of changing that any time soon.
“We’re gonna play for her this season. Everything we do is gonna be for her this season, we know that,” said Velma-Alma senior Kylee Saville, who played on the basketball team with Henry. “The softball team, we’re going to get purple and blue ribbons and put them in our hair. The basketball team is going to get sweatbands with The number embroidered on them in her favorite colors.”
While there were plenty of competitive runners at the 5K, including members of the Comets’ cross country team both past and present, many showed up just to take part in the memorial for Henry. Still more showed up just to cheer on runners and take part in the cause. Race organizer Jerry Loveall, who was Henry’s cross country and track coach, said they have already placed orders for 300 T-shirts, selling them for $10 to people who didn’t run Saturday.
“To be quite honest, it’s been overwhelming,” Henson said of the outpouring of emotion the community has had for her daughter. “The love that this community has shown me has just been overwhelming.”
Many of those who were close to Henry still get choked up when they try to talk about her, but along with that sadness, her untimely death has undoubtedly brought the community closer.
“At first, we were all just really shaken up,” Saville said. “It was really difficult, but now we are just a bigger family and we’re trying to remember her in the best ways we can.”
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Dillion Allred comes down the final stretch of the Mayors 5K Road Race on Saturday in Velma, while wearing a T-shirt which reads "Braylee, Run & Remember," in honor of Braylee Henry, who was murdered last month. GREG CREWS/The Duncan Banner
Mayor’s Road Race honors Velma teen
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