TERRE HAUTE - Applause of congratulations echoed through St. Benedict's Catholic Church on Wednesday, as Travis J. Smith received his Ball State University letter jacket. Presented by the men's golf team and laid on Travis' casket by his father, the jacket represented Travis' commitment and success with the team, as well as the team's regret that he would not be joining them in the spring.
More than 1,000 people saw Travis receive his jacket and said their final goodbyes.
"It was tough today knowing that was the last time we were going to see him," Mike Fleck, Ball State men's golf coach, said.
Travis, a 19-year-old freshman, died Saturday in a car accident near Ball State's campus. For the family, four hours of visitation Tuesday turned into almost eight, and almost 4,000 people came to show their respects.
"I was just so overwhelmed by the number of people, the comments about Travis," James Smith said. "It was just unreal."
A GIVING HEART
Countless times throughout the service, Travis was described as someone who treated everyone equally. James Smith said he cared about many and many cared about him.
"He had more love in 19 years than most kids have in a lifetime," he said, "and he gave it in return."
To his childhood friends and basketball buddies, he was a constant source of support.
"He was like a brother to all of us," Kyle Toney said. "He goes beyond a friend. You could always count on him to have your back no matter what."
James Twitchell said he and Travis had many pastimes, one of which was fishing.
Travis went fishing alone one afternoon because Twitchell didn't feel like going. Later, a young boy came to fish with Travis.
"This little kid George - 3 feet tall, bright red hair - well, I guess Travis had a fishing contest with George."
George won that contest. But winning or losing wasn't the concern.
"He didn't care if you were 6 or 7 years old or if you were 18 or 20," Twitchell said. "Everybody was the same."
A FRIEND, A BROTHER, A SON
At the close of the service, several of his childhood friends took their places around his casket. They grasped its handles, carried Travis out of the church and placed him in the funeral coach.
Even as they prepared to take him to Cathedral Cemetery, the loss of Travis' life had yet to sink in for many who gathered.
"The whole process has been tough, and it's not going to get any easier from here on out," Fleck said. "It's a pretty big blow to our community."
For some of his friends, simple plans bring painful reminders that Travis is gone.
"Tuesday, I went down to eat lunch, and I realized there was no one to eat lunch with," Ball State freshman Ethan Whaley said. "That was kind of hard. It made me lose my appetite pretty quick."
James Smith said the worst for him is yet to come, but Travis wouldn't want him to worry about it.
"He would never want me to be upset, and I've just got to remember that," James Smith said. "I wouldn't ever want to do anything to disappoint him, and he wouldn't ever want to do anything to disappoint me."
Travis' sister, Courtney Smith, said she would miss the talks she and her brother had about everything in their lives.
"I know that I have all of his friends there, but they're not going to be him," she said. "I know that I won't really have anyone to talk to because he understood me the most."
A FINAL GOODBYE:
After the burial service, mourners headed to a reception at Terre Haute's Ohio Building. The tears that filled the day were replaced by smiles as people looked through photos of Travis and shared memories. Some were already making plans for how to keep Travis in their thoughts.
Courtney Smith said it was important to her to try to visit Travis' grave site every day.
"I know he'll always be with me and he'll be my guardian angel," she said.
As the day wore on, family members and friends began to disperse. As they parted company, many of their thoughts turned to the future - a future without Travis.
Travis and his childhood friends talked about the plans they once had to go to Las Vegas after they'd all turned 21.
"We decided we're still going to go to Vegas, just for him," Jason Gilmore said. "I'm sure everything we do together, he'll still be there."
Fleck said the Ball State golf team will remember Travis in several ways throughout the season, one of which would keep Travis as part of the team. He said the men's golf players would vote to elect Travis as an honorary team captain.
"We'll let Travis be our leader this spring," Fleck said.
As talk turned to golf, one friend, Ball State junior Steven Krieg, said someone who was trying to make sense of Travis' death noted God must have needed a golf lesson.
"Travis was such a competitor, he wouldn't have give God a golf lesson because he would have been scared God would have beat him," Krieg said. "He would have kept it to himself so he could say he beat God in golf."
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