ROCKFORD, Minn. — It was homecoming night at Rockford High School in Rockford, Minn. Friday.
A night when alumni return to campus and members of the community reunite sharing memories of times past.
"Last time I was here was with Sam," said Ben Zilmer.
It was the first time in a long time Zilmer could recall not being on campus with his best friend, 24-year-old Sam Schuneman. They both graduated from Rockford in 2015.
"We both played wide receiver, we both sat the bench most of the time so it was always kind of good hanging out with him and messing around on the bench," said Zilmer.
Sam was one of two people killed over the summer in a single-vehicle crash in Orono after a 51-year-old driver lost control of the car. Twenty-year-old Mack Motzko was also killed.
"It's something you never want to forget; a person you never want to forget. I mean, he changed so many lives and impacted us all in a positive way and we continue to honor him," said Zilmer.
All season long the Rockford Rockets have been wearing stickers with the number 6 on their helmets during each game. The same number Sam wore when he played football there.
It's a badge of honor helping a team, community and family heal in the wake of such a tragic loss.
"Sam and Mack were both products of their community and the people that they were surrounded with and this is just a great example of this community coming together and we're so appreciative of that," said Sam's father Tom Schuneman.
"He loved this kind of thing; he loved getting together with big groups of people — you know football games," said Zilmer.
While it may be the first of many more homecomings to come without Sam being physically present, his spirit and the memories he leaves behind will live on forever.
"It's different without him, but you know he's here," said Zilmer.
James Blue is charged with two counts of third-degree murder as well as four counts of criminal vehicular homicide.
Blue is currently out on a $500,000 cash bail as he waits to go on trial.