With a racing heart, a pounding chest and a steadfast gaze, Anthony Arambula shot into the field and fought for the ball. He gave everything for the sport he loved most: football.
Just weeks later, tears streamed down the faces of family and friends on the Santa Fe High School soccer field as they gathered on Tuesday to celebrate Anthony’s life.
Anthony, a sophomore student at Santa Fe High School, died on November 22nd at the age of 16.
Paul Richardson, a Santa Fe soccer coach, worked with him on the field four times a week
“The good thing about Anthony is that you can use him as a wildcard,” said Richardson. “He was eclectic in many different positions.”
Anthony, a left winger from Santa Fe High School, rose to the varsity level at the end of the 2020-2021 season and stayed there that season.
Richardson said Anthony was honest with himself and his mistakes. The coach wished he could have watched him become an even better player.
“When he screwed up or did something wrong, he always wanted to do better,” said Richardson. “He made us feel like we were doing something good as a coach.”
Growing up, Anthony wanted to pursue a career in STEM with a major in marine biology. That desire soon dissipated when it was introduced to the sport.
As a kid in football, he moved on the offensive – quarterback, fullback, general running back. He stayed with the linebacker on defense, specializing in the high school position.
He longed to become a professional athlete, be it in football or soccer. Originally from Miami, Anthony dreamed of going to the University of Miami to play soccer as the university doesn’t offer a division 1 men’s soccer team.
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Countless hours devoted to playing basketball, soccer, tennis and soccer have shaped his life since he was six, said Anthony’s father, Jonathan Arambula.
Jonathan holds on to memories he made when his son was little. He will always remember holding Anthony in his arms night after night and carrying him to bed. Jonathan would do it forever if he could, he said
His mother, Angela Arambula, said he always fell asleep while twirling her hair. Later that night she would laugh as she combed her untangled hair. As he got older, he started to twirl his own hair.
“[He was] my sunshine, ”said Angela.
Santa Fe High School held a vigil for Anthony on November 23rd. About 150 students, teachers, friends and family gathered in the field. Billboards with his portrait were passed around the stands for everyone to sign, and 16 candles circulated in the crowd.
Although they hesitated to leave, Jonathan and Angela attended the vigil to be present for everyone who knew their son.
“As soon as I crossed the gate from the concession booths, I felt like tearing apart,” said Jonathan.
The family paused in the aisle to give each other a hug before taking a seat in the stands. The vigil helped her 13-year-old daughter Isabella Arambula deal with the loss.
“It showed [Isabella] how many people he has touched – how many people have loved him, ”he said.
He was in shock until he had a complete breakdown later that week.
Anthony’s cousin, 16-year-old Santa Fe junior Adrian Roman, had a strong bond with him when they played soccer in their spare time and on the high school team.
Whenever Adrian got nervous on the soccer field, Anthony always reminded him that it was just a game.
In addition to meeting at school every day, the two of them often hung out and played Call of Duty, Minecraft, and FIFA together.
When Anthony died, many students thought it was not real. Roman was bombarded with texts asking if the news was true, he said. But he had to be the bearer of bad news.
A tour took place on Sunday. The school offers on-site counseling and a public funeral will be held at 11am on Monday at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Williston. It will be an open coffin.
The Gainesville Soccer Alliance is also creating a scholarship for Anthony. It will offer financial aid to a recipient that reflects Anthony’s characteristics on and off the field, his father said.
Contact Faith Buckley at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @_faithbuckley.
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