RAVENNA, Ohio — Isaiah Monville wore jersey number 13 when he played in the Ravenna Ravens Youth Football League. His family said the league is now planning to retire that number after the unexpected death of the 10-year-old boy over the weekend.
It's just one of many examples of how the community is coming together to honor the fifth grader who attended Brown Middle School in Ravenna and support his family.
"Everywhere I look, it's 13. Everywhere I look,13 strong," said family friend Tiffany Thompson-Jones.
That number is serving as a tribute to Isaiah on social media sites, on car windows, on stickers for the helmets of friends and teammates, and on tattoos that his mother, Connie Horner, recently had inked on her body.
"He had a heart of gold. He was amazing. He would help anybody," Horner said.
Horner said keeps hearing stories from various people about how kind her son was to others.
"There was a lady here. She fell and Isaiah threw his bike and ran to her to help," Horner said. "He had 10 years here, but he impacted so many lives."
Horner said Isaiah had medical issues, but those were managed, and he seemed to be doing well.
However, he experienced some bleeding concerns on Friday. Horner said doctors determined he had a tear in one of his bowels, and he died at Akron Children's Hospital on Saturday.
"We're not entirely sure when it happened," she said.
His death has left so many people heartbroken and looking for ways to keep Isaiah's memory alive.
"The outpouring of support from the community just blew us away. It has blown us away. There's no words," Thompson-Jones said.
On Saturday, Sept. 14, during scheduled youth football games behind Brown Middle School, proceeds from concessions will be donated to help the family.
"They're raffling off baskets, gift cards. They're taking donations," Thompson-Jones said.
Kindness is reaching Horner in other ways. A man from Austintown drew a sketch of Isaiah and gave it to the family.
"I never met the man a day in my life, like strangers are coming together to support my baby," Horner said.
A GoFundMe page to help the family with funeral and other expenses raised more than $9,000 as of Wednesday evening.
On Friday night, kids from the youth football league will carry Isaiah's jersey onto the field during the Ravenna High School football game. That will be followed by a moment of silence.
