On April 7^th, a tragedy rocked the close knit community of Broad Run High School. Madison Small, a BRHS senior and captain of the softball team, died suddenly of bacterial meningitis. Despite Broad Run’s devastating loss of a friend, classmate, and teammate, the community has come together to honor and remember Small.

Small was a loved and respected member of the senior class. When word spread about Small’s passing, the school and community were devastated. Maddy Kopecky, a junior at Broad Run, recalls the day vividly. “Everyone was devastated. At least a hundred people were in tears and all we could do was console each other. Broad Run has become closer as a family and has truly been looking out for another.”

Despite the tragic day, Small’s family and friends planned a vigil at Small’s second home:  the softball field. Honoring Small, teammates, family, and friends spoke about Small and what they loved about her. “The vigil was incredible and very touching,” said Kopecky. “It goes to show how much she impacted the community.”

During the vigil, 24 balloons, which represented her softball jersey number, were released in honor of Small and her impact on the community. 24 has become a symbol of Small and a way for people to remember her.

All over Loudoun County, athletes are wearing her number on their wrist to show their support for their fallen classmate. Potomac Falls High School baseball players wrote, “#WEplayfor24” on the inside of their hats. Heritage High School girls’ soccer drew “#24” on the inside of their wrists. At Dominion, the girls’ soccer team wore pink ribbons in their hair, Small’s favorite color, as a tribute to her life.

The hash tag “#WEplayfor24” has gone viral over twitter. A twitter account, “WERemeber24” was made so friends of Madison could connect with others on whom she made an impact. Mary Radziewicz, a senior at Dominion, was close friends with Small. Determined to remember Small, Radziewicz has designed a pink-t-shirt in her honor. “It started with Dominion and then it spread all over the county to ten different high schools. From Potomac Falls, to Woodgrove, to Freedom.”  The t-shirts cost sixteen dollars, and all proceeds will go directly to Madison’s family.

Despite the tragedy that rocked Broad Run, the entirety of Loudoun County has supported them in their time of grief for their fallen classmate. The students, family, and friends, remember Small for the kindhearted and welcoming girl she was. “Regardless of who you were or how well you knew her, she would never be anything but the sweetest person,” said Radziewicz.