Prayers For Raceland's Rock Ball

[sidelinedoc]

Rock Ball's mother, Brandy Vanderhoof, passed away Monday. Her visitation is tonight and the funeral is tomorrow. The entire team and staff will be attending the visitation tonight after practice. Please keep Rock and his family in your prayers. Thank you.

[oldrambler]

I was so very sorry to hear of her passing. I know the family extremely well, especially her Father Greg Vanderhoof and his brother, her uncle Randy Vanderhoof. Boh are fine Christians who I consider good friends.

May God Bless and Comfort the Vanderhoof family and friends during time.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Thoughts and Prayers to Rock and family.:thumb:

[rookie57]

Prayers to the Ram nation, sorry for your loss.

[CoachBuckett]

Prayers for all involved!

[Ram]

Brandy was about five years younger then myself. I was a senior when she was in 8th grade, with her growing up in such a strong football family in a strong football community, Brandy would follow some of us football players around and talk to us. Most of the other 8th graders, particularly the girls, were scared to come up and talk to the senior football players, but Brandy always did. All during football season she would make her way to the football players and wish them luck on fridays. I remember her standing, as an 8th grader, at my locker waiting for me to come by just to wish me luck on Fridays and telling me to beat who ever we were playing that week.

 

After my son started at the high school, Brandy worked in the cafeteria at the high school and with my son being, well, let's just say a "Big eater", Brandy would give him extra food telling him "football players need to eat more to be ready to play". Brandy always sent my son notes, cards, and texts telling him how proud she was of him, and motivating him in football and life. Brandy sent him a Graduation card with a very personal and uplifting message. Brandy would contact me to ask how my son was doing and bragging about him endlessly.

 

Brandy will be missed, but her memory will remain in many of us forever.

[Sweeperboy]

Prayers from Ft Thomas...:thumb:

[All State Baseball]

Prayers. May God bless all involved.

[lawildcat]

Prayers from the wildcat family.

[BigVMan23]

Prayers sent from L'burg.

[Little Ram]

Brandy was about five years younger then myself. I was a senior when she was in 8th grade, with her growing up in such a strong football family in a strong football community, Brandy would follow some of us football players around and talk to us. Most of the other 8th graders, particularly the girls, were scared to come up and talk to the senior football players, but Brandy always did. All during football season she would make her way to the football players and wish them luck on fridays. I remember her standing, as an 8th grader, at my locker waiting for me to come by just to wish me luck on Fridays and telling me to beat who ever we were playing that week.

 

After my son started at the high school, Brandy worked in the cafeteria at the high school and with my son being, well, let's just say a "Big eater", Brandy would give him extra food telling him "football players need to eat more to be ready to play". Brandy always sent my son notes, cards, and texts telling him how proud she was of him, and motivating him in football and life. Brandy sent him a Graduation card with a very personal and uplifting message. Brandy would contact me to ask how my son was doing and bragging about him endlessly.

 

Brandy will be missed, but her memory will remain in many of us forever.

 

Well said.

 

One of the funny things about Brandy was that her daughter, Taylor, did the exact thing to Zack Litteral, Austin Manis, and myself last year as well. Taylor would come over to the double doors in the senior hallway each Friday and tell us good luck tonight--the same as Brandy did to you. I didn't know she did that but now that I think about it, Taylor followed in her footsteps.

 

As my father said, Brandy was my lunch lady from kindergarten to sixth grade. I grew up seeing Brandy every day practically, twice each day. Going to a small school like Raceland, the lunch ladies know who plays football. Brandy always, always made sure myself and my JFL teammates were well fed. She didn't care what the state regulations were about portion sizes and what not. She always threw in an extra chicken patty or extra fries with our meals and made sure no one else saw. But what I remember most was our Friday lunch meals. In fourth grade, lunch meals changed and you were given the choice of a hot meal lunch or a "grab-n-go" which was usually a peanut butter sandwich and a bag of chips and a milk. I remember on the second Friday of school that year, Zack, Austin, and I were all in line together and when we got to the front of the line, Brandy nodded her head down to the "grab-n-go" bags. We all three walked down there and she bent down behind the counter and grabbed three brown bags and handed them to us. Not realizing it, we all three went and sat down to eat. Well we sat facing each other at a round table and I saw the back of Zack's bag and there was writing on it. I told Zack, then I looked at mine and it also had a note on it--from Brandy. I remember distinctly what it said, "Good luck and kick the bulldogs' butt tomorrow!" Each and every Friday after that, she always gave us those "grab-n-go" bags, with a note and a little bit of extra food each time.

 

Through middle school and into high school, I kept close to Brandy. Each and every Friday night I saw Brandy before and after games. Before each game, Brandy always gave me a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek and told me good luck, all the way through senior year. I remember my first start at Greenup my sophomore year, Brandy came up to me and gave me a huge hug and kiss and told me to kick butt out there tonight. As many of you may know, Raceland won their first Regional Championship last year. It was a HUGE game for the Ram Faithful and Brandy did her usual thing before the game. After the game was over, I went to my father and ran around the field a little bit. Brandy ran onto the field and I remember Brandy literally jumping up and down as she ran towards me. She gave me a hug and broke out in tears of joy and told me congratulations.

 

The last time I spoke to Brandy was at the Raceland/Dawson Bryant game at Raceland. I talked to her for quite awhile prior to the game. We discussed college and how my life was going. But she made sure to ask me if I was getting fed well. And of course I told her not as good as she fed me. But when I asked her how she was doing, she always replied with "Nevan, I have never been better for what I have." No matter what the obstacles were in her life, she was always positive.

 

Brandy holds a special place in my heart and always will. Ram football was very special to her and is very special to her family. Brandy led by serving others and I hope to follow in her footsteps one day.

[Ram]

Well said Little Ram. Brandy was a special person to say the least.

[oldrambler]

Ram and Little Ram .....those were some great, heartfelt comments. Your comments were like yourselves along with the Vanderhoof family......Class. Brandy's father Greg was a great friend when we were in school and still are as is Randy. Their parents were / are great people. This oldrambler has fun on here but I do get emotional at times and this is one of them.

[Little Ram]

Ram and Little Ram .....those were some great' date=' heartfelt comments. Your comments were like yourselves along with the Vanderhoof family......Class. Brandy's father Greg was a great friend when we were in school and still are as is Randy. Their parents were / are great people. This oldrambler has fun on here but I do get emotional at times and this is one of them.[/quote']

 

Agreed. That's why Raceland is a special place.

[Ram]

Agreed. That's why Raceland is a special place.

Special indeed. You have to experience it to understand it.

 

Always a good day to be a Ram.