“Sorry about the kid.” Tammy and I sat in the audience a few weeks after losing James as a vendor for a dive suit company presented his product for consideration to the Sheriff’s Department. He uttered those words before starting his presentation. In his defense, he didn’t know we were in the audience. The Sheriff’s Department, always our heroes, was quick to inform him we were there, but the words have stuck with me these now almost ten years.
For parents who have lost a child, the last thing you want is for that child to be forgotten, minimized to the mention of “the kid.” We started presenting scholarships outside of the immediate Valdosta and Lowndes County area in 2013. You notice little things that may not mean much to others. We visited one school and were one of the first to arrive. We made our way back to the stage, and while we waited for the ceremony to begin, another scholarship presenter came in and began joking around about the presentation he was to make in someone’s name, saying, “I don’t even know who this guy is.” We didn’t either, but we haven’t been back and won’t go back.
It’s ten years today. I counted the minutes, the hours and the days during the 17 day search. We treated the first year like a child. It’s one month ago, two months, etc. Then the years. How can it be 10 years now? A decade. It’s not supposed to be this way. When you think of a decade, you flash to the Roaring 20’s, the 60’s, or the 70’s. It’s not supposed to be tied to a single event like this decade. It’s supposed to be an era that shaped society. This decade didn’t shape society, but it certainly shaped us. All because of “the kid.”
“The kid” lived intentionally. He told a friend, “when it’s my time to go, I don’t want to just fizzle out. I want to go out making the biggest impact I can.” “The Kid” would write, “Man, I want the devil to know I've been around. I mean, he's caused me enough trouble, he's caused me enough grief. When I leave this place I want the devil to say "Thank God they put that man in the grave, he's caused the kingdom of Hell too much trouble already"
“The Kid” had an older brother, John, who would give him advice when things weren’t going “The Kid’s” way. “The Kid” wrote, “It’s funny how people don’t their words cut as deep as they think.” His brother replied, “Keep your head up dude. Most people who say hurtful things are just insecure about themselves.”
“The Kid” had an older sister, Lindsey, who loved him and defended him fiercely. She wrote “I am very thankful to have you as a brother. You are such a blessing.”
“The Kid” knew his purpose in life. He shared a note with a young lady shortly after moving back to Valdosta in the 10th grade. “The Kid” wrote: I feel sometimes like I’m sunk so low in my life that I can’t come back. Like why would God accept me back from all the crap I’ve done. I’m on fire for Him every Sunday, but then it just extinguishes. I need to learn to keep that flame and spread it, because I feel I’m here to be a missionary to this school.”
“The Kid” loved everyone unconditionally. He wrote on January 3, 2010, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another John 13:34. That is my resolution. So, I don't care who you are or where you come from. I love you.”
“The kid” went missing while duck hunting on the morning of January 15, 2011. 35 agencies searched for “the kid” round the clock as thousands of people prayed for his rescue. As friends, family, teachers, coaches, strangers streamed to Ocean Pond, they shared or heard stories about “the kid.” Stories about how “the kid” lived, how he loved. They shared about how “the kid” reached out to them while they were hurting, how he shared his testimony with them. “The kid” was recovered on the morning of January 31st, 2011. Tammy and I thought the story would be over, and that “the kid” would be forgotten. But God. Two simple words that have shown up throughout this journey. On the day “the kid” was recovered, a friend texted Tammy that she saw an eagle flying overhead as she received the news about “the kid.” Shortly afterwards, two A-10 aircraft from Moody Air Force Base flew over Ocean Pond, with one pulling up for the missing man formation. We saw during those 17 days how “the kid” lived large. How he lived for Christ.
“The Kid” talked someone out of quitting school. The day before he went missing.
The Georgia State Legislature passed a resolution honoring “the kid.”
Valdosta High School played their cross-town rival, Lowndes High School, the week after “the kid” went missing. His friends wore t-shirts with “the kid’s” name on them and started a chant with “the kid’s” name during the game. Fans from both sides joined in. The radio announcer turned off the microphone because he was in tears.
“The kid” had dreams, but most of all, he had a testimony, and he impacted the lives of others. The principal called the administrators into a meeting the first school day after “the kid” went missing and told them they weren’t going to discuss “the kid” being missing or the search. One of the assistant principals told him that wouldn’t work, that “the whole school knew “the kid” and the entire school would be affected. The counselor from the alternative school was called to the high school the morning “the kid” was recovered. He told us later he was upset they assigned him to the ninth grade academy, and that he didn’t expect to see anybody that day. He then shared how freshman student after freshman student filed into the office all day sharing how “the kid” sent a text to lift them up, prayed with them or shared a Bible verse with them. He said, “I left at the end of the day saying to myself, “How did I not know this kid?””
“The kid” was 17th in his class and had been notified of his early acceptance to the University of Georgia in early December. “The kid” wanted to try and walk on to the football team at Georgia. The University of Georgia football team recognized “the kid” at his celebration of life service. Coach Mark Richt sent a jersey and a note to “the kid” saying “This is the jersey I’m sure James would have earned.” Coach Richt kept “the kid” on the UGA football roster for the four years he would have attended Georgia. “The kid’s” good friend, Jay Rome, would keep “the kid’s” initials on the tape on his wrists for every game. Coach Richt would later say about “the kid,” ““He was all about people coming to know Jesus Christ. That is his legacy. His legacy is not what a great kid he was, which he was, it’s not how friendly he was to so and so. The legacy is, he was making a difference in someone’s life.””
Our dear friend Drew Jubera wrote about 2010-11 Valdosta Wildcat football team. “The Kid” was a part of that team. Two years after we lost “The Kid” Drew wrote, “God, I loved that kid. Something makes me think of him every single day. Yet it’s weird, how it’s now two years later and he still seems so… present. His is one powerful soul. I’m crying as I type this and go on way too long, but only because I’m so, so grateful to have been part of his life. To still be part of his life.”
Valdosta High School retired “the kid’s” number 23 football jersey and number 15 baseball jersey. Nine years later Valdosta Middle School, a school “the kid” never attended, retired the number 23 football jersey to honor “the kid.”
The community loved “the kid” and raised $148,000 to buy dive equipment for the sheriff’s department in “the kid’s” name. The first time the equipment was used, a neighboring county’s sheriff asked Chris Prine, the Lowndes County sheriff at the time, what they owed them for searching. Sheriff Prine replied, “You don’t owe us anything. It’s been paid in full by “the kid.””
The University of Georgia football team recognized “The Kid” on September 10, 2011, in their game against the University of South Carolina by wearing “the kid’s” number 23 and “the kid’s” initials JDE on the back of their helmets.
“The kid’s” friends wrote about him. Valen Lopez wrote on the day “the kid” was recovered, "Standing outside of the Freshman Academy on the fence looking at the weight room, practice football field, and baseball field, memories of James are rushing back like a river. His spirit, compassion, love, and commitment to everyone shined from him like the sun. Who would've ever thought these qualities could be shown throughout one single human being. I will forever try to duplicate his appreciation and obedience to God! LONG LIVE JAMES DAVID EUNICE!!!"
Jason Murphy, another one of “the kid’s” friends spoke one year after we lost “the kid.” Jason said, “He truly cared about everyone. He knew he could make a difference in everyone’s life just by being that one guy that makes the nerd’s day by saying hey with that wonderful smile of his or the guy who makes a girl feel as beautiful as she looks just by saying a few encouraging words. He showed his love for God by showing unconditional love to his neighbors. James had the kind of love for everyone that you read about in the Bible. I remember one day in Mrs. Alger’s class, or as he and most of her students including me called her, Momma Alger, we got into a deep conversation about what we wanted to do with our lives in the future. You know what he said? He said, “I just want to make a difference in people’s lives.” Well James, I think it’s safe to say that you have done just that. I for one will never be able to forget what he has done for me or anyone out here today. What happened here one year ago today is a tragedy and will always be considered one, but the real tragedy would be to forget who James was and forget the lessons he has taught us. That’s what he would want.”
“The kid’s” story continues to make a difference and impact the lives of others. Daun Caruana, a current college freshman, wrote, ““If you were to die how would you be remembered? You’re probably thinking this is a very irrelevant thought as you might have your entire life ahead of you. The truth is that we never know when death is upon us. Just as Covid came very fast and unexpected; death can come in the same way. Your legacy matters here and now. How you live can’t be fixed after death but it can be changed during life. So if you were to leave and get to experience heaven right now how would people remember you. When I first moved to GA about nine years ago there was talk about a boy who had recently lost his life as a senior in high school. His name was James Eunice. Being a little fifth grader I didn’t really think much of it. Eighth grade I got to hear James’s mother speak about James’s life and the legacy he had left behind. How James loved everybody. How important his friends and family were to him but the most important thing to him was how he was a follower of Christ. He wanted to make sure everyone felt loved and appreciated. Hearing the fullness of his story and how the community came together to honor what James had stood for was powerful. I encourage you to look more into his story. But this story of James is still being shared and still being talked about because of the legacy he had left behind. He is not remembered for the accomplishments he had done on earth but he is being remembered for the way he loved and treated others. How he encouraged others. How he pointed them to Jesus. How he lived life not building his name up but building our Gods name up.” Daun continued, “Your legacy has the power to influence many future generations of family. Not only family but as well as everyone you come in contact with.
“The Kid” is remembered and missed by many, but most of all by his family. “The kid” was a vital part of our family. He was a loving son, brother, and friend who would make the world a little brighter for everyone he encountered. “The Kid” loved life and knew he was part of a much bigger plan. “The Kid” wrote, “I'm not going back to it. I swear. I owe it to my God. I owe it all to him. Me starring in my own little life movie is so insignificant compared to having a roll in God's EPIC film. At the end of mine, there will be a "The End". But in God's, there is no end.” Terry Fox once said, “I want to set an example that will never be forgotten.” Never is a long time, but here we are 10 years later, and “the kid” continues to make a difference, to influence the lives of others, especially me. I love and miss “the kid.” I love you and I miss you James.