Mike Sadler's jersey #3 jersey was retired Friday night at Forest Hills Northern High School, permanently honoring someone who had done so much for his community.
The school's football coach wanted Mike to be remembered for all he had done, both on and off the field.
"It's not something that I'm not aware we've ever done before at Forest Hills Northern," said Principal Jon Gregory, "but he thought it was a great idea so we all teamed up to make the event happen."
If anyone deserved a jersey retirement, it would be Mike, who was an epitome of both academic and athletic excellence.
"He was a great student, yes, and he broke all sorts of records on and off the field, and in the classroom. But any person will tell you that Mike was the light in the room. He made everyone else feel so important," said his mother Karen.
"That's a lesson that we can continue to teach students and adults as we move forward in life, and he's a great example of that," added Gregory.
You could barely know Mike, but many have said having even one interaction with him could change your life. And as a person who had done so much for his school, Mike serves as a beacon of hope for all who walk through Northern's doors.
"Northern is really being proactive here and really doing something terrific for its kids in using Mike as a model of what each student here has the potential to become," said Sadler.
Mike was to attend law school, and graduate in the spring of 2019. But he will forever serve as a teacher, his lesson being how to live life to the fullest.
"He took nothing for granted," said Sadler. "He worked hard, reached high, helped others, and all through it he was very humble."
