Rain pelted my car like a million tiny pebbles. My windshield wipers were working overtime. I could barely see.

It was Aug. 12 and I was heading to the Aurora Sports Dome for a fundraiser for Justin Wegner, a Central graduate who played football and basketball and was recently diagnosed with cancer. I don’t personally know Justin, but I have heard a lot about him so when a friend invited me to the event, I decided to go.

The Hamilton soundtrack blared in my car as I tried my best to maneuver my way through the rain. Already ten minutes late, I was frustrated but trying my best to remain calm as I gripped my brown leather steering wheel.

When I finally arrived, I had never been so thankful for a raincoat. I could feel and hear each individual drop of water hitting my back and even though it wasn’t supposed to be nighttime, the sky was as dark as midnight.

I quickly found my friend, who was wearing her purple #jwegstrong shirt. We walked through the crowd and I was surprised to see many familiar faces. There was a group of boys who graduated two years ago that I vaguely recognized, each of them had their heads shaved. My friend quickly filled me in that these were Justin’s closest high school friends and that they had shaved their heads for him.

The next group of people I saw currently attended Central. Over the course of the night, I saw freshman through seniors, all sporting either a purple arm band or t-shirt. Many of them, I assumed, were like me and didn’t know Justin, but had attended the event because they felt an urge to support their Central community.

Thirdly, I saw many adults I recognized. My neighbors were there and so were adults I vaguely recognized. The sheer amount of people was stunning, and once again I felt that many were compelled to come for the same reason I had.

Finally, I saw a group of people that shocked me the most: faculty. My anthropology teacher was there and so was the baseball coach. It seemed as if the entire staff at Central was present at this event, all committed to supporting a member of the Redhawk family.

Continually, I am in awe and appreciation of Central’s staff members who are so committed to their Redhawk family that they attend events like these in their personal time.

At the end of the night, the event raised $25,000, even in the pouring rain. Despite inclement weather, people still came out in support of a community member who needed help.

So who can we thank for all this support?

From what I have heard, he was an active member of Central’s football and baseball teams. As a result, the support he has received from his former teams has been more than generous. The J. Kyle Braid students at our school, who represent the athletes, spearheaded Justin’s t-shirt sales and have been working to spread the word about #jwegstrong.

Being an athlete has significantly impacted Justin’s support. From day one of his diagnosis, he had his teammates by his side. You see, the family formed by a team extends beyond the field, and Justin is a shining example of that.

This is the significance of school sports. First of all, it is fun while you’re on the field. But second of all, and more importantly, you gain a support system. These people are your brothers and sisters no matter what. Like a marriage, they are there for you in sickness and in health and this support knows no bounds.

I encourage everyone to experience a sport at least once in their lives. It is a wonderful experience and the effects of it last forever. So keep going, football team, baseball team and JKB. You all are doing an amazing thing and I am so proud that you all are showing our community just how great sports are.

And to the Naperville community, I am so glad you are all supporting a community member who needs help. I heard the owner of Meson Sabika donated $5,000. Things like this restore my faith in humanity and I am so proud to be a part of a community like this.