George Washington Prep students, parents, and teachers celebrated the life of Angela Gettis, 16, at a school memorial on Monday. It was an emotional event, with about 250 people in attendance.
By all accounts, Angela Gettis was a vibrant teenager who loved cheerleading. That's exactly what she was doing Friday night, when she was stricken with what doctors say was cardiac arrest.
"It was really a nice service," said Deloysia Rolls, a friend of the victim. "People spoke how they feel. "
Gettis was stricken Friday night, while cheering on her team during a Washington Prep football game at Fremont High School. Paramedics performed CPR on the high school sophomore. She was rushed to the hospital, but three hours later she was pronounced dead.
Grief counselors were on hand to console students on Monday. During the memorial, the Washington Prep community released balloons to express the joy Angela brought them. Members of the football team signed a jersey and gave it to Angela's family.
Like most teens, Gettis had dreams of a bright future. Friends say she aspired to study forensic science at a college in Texas. Family members believe an enlarged heart Angela was diagnosed with as a child may have contributed to her death. Her passing serves as a lesson to her friends.
"You just have to get it together," lamented Deloysia Rolls. "Life is short. You have to take each day at a time."
