WEST ORANGE, Texas — Around West Orange you can spot "112%" and over the weekend the community celebrated the person behind the motto, Reginald Garrett Jr.
Garrett wore the number 12 when he was quarterback at West Orange-Stark and that number had a special meaning to him, so 12 years after his death his family and community felt it was right to celebrate his life.
In Sept. 2010, Garrett collapsed on the sideline during West Orange-Stark's game against Jasper after throwing a touchdown pass. Garrett was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead that night.
"Once they picked him up to put him on the stretcher he had no life," said Garrett's mother JoAnn Benjamin. "He had no life to him and I still was praying. I said Lord please, but I knew when my body got cold my baby was gone."
Since then his loved ones and West Orange-Stark football has continued Garrett's "112%" mentality to honor him.
His parents said it brings them comfort when they see the number 112 and hope those who dawn their son's motto remember who and what it represents.
"Little Reggie was everybody's best friend," said Reginald Garrett Sr., Garrett's father. "How you reach out to people like that, I could never imagine."
"He died with dignity," said Benjamin. "He died with something that he loved to do and to be able to touch lives like how Reggie did. It was over 3,000 people at his funeral service, so that goes to show you it was love from around the world."
"We love you son," said Garrett Sr. "We always will love you."
"We thank God for giving Reggie to us so we can give him to y'all," said Benjamin.
"And the time we had with him," Said Garrett Sr.
"Happy 12th Son," said Benjamin.