Community shocked by tragic loss

Filing out of the early service at about 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Toccoa First United Methodist Church, someone touched my shoulder and shoved an iPhone in front of me.

“Have you heard about this?,” I heard the voice of Kenneth Cash ask.

On the phone’s screen was the breaking story of a University of Georgia football player and a UGA recruiting analyst killed in a one-car accident earlier that morning on Barnett Shoals Road near Athens.

I caught the name of Devin Willock as the deceased player, then my eyes saw the name Chandler LeCroy as the recruiting analyst fatality and my stomach sank.

Chandler LeCroy of Toccoa, Ga.

The same Chandler LeCroy we at The Toccoa Record had contacted the last two years about how excited she was about attending the national championship football games, first in Indianapolis, Ind., and then Los Angeles, Calif. this year.

“You know who this is, right?,” Cash asked.

Yes, I knew as did many in the Toccoa-Stephens County community.

Many identify her as the daughter of Larry and Christy LeCroy of Toccoa. I, being older, place her as former State Patrol Sgt. Glen Chapman and former county commissioner Brenda Chapman’s granddaughter.

And, I remembered her as a Stephens County Indian cheerleader from the 2015 football season and looked her up in the annual The Toccoa Record football preview.

Yep, that was her right there with the rest of the cheerleaders. I saw her photo again in the SCHS Class of 2016 graduation section.

I kept perusing pages of The Record over the next year or two and Chandler’s name and photo kept popping up in a variety of news stories about her exploits – Leadership Toccoa-Stephens County, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, first a bachelor’s degree in sports management followed by a master’s in the same field and a host of other achievements.

She certainly made an impression on the Toccoa-Stephens County community in her young life.

That impression showed when not long after TFUMC church members heard the devastating news Sunday morning, tears were shed and prayers offered up.

And it showed again Monday evening.

“She just lit up the room when she entered it,” First Baptist Church associate pastor Brett Sanders told viewers in a WSB-TV report, Chandler having been a member of First Baptist. “She brought out the best in everyone.”

Chandler LeCroy also left a huge impression on the University of Georgia football program where she worked for two years in the recruiting department.

Social media is filled this week with videos and photos of Chandler posted in tribute by friends and co-workers.

“Going back through old footage and found this from summer (Chandler getting a pie to the face as part of a Georgia football player event). An overwhelmingly loving smile and one of the sweetest laughs made Chandler LeCroy the person she is. I’ll miss capturing moments of her bringing joy and kindness to this world,” UGA videographer Audrie Uphues said.

And there was this from an obviously shaken head coach Kirby Smart.

“We are all heartbroken and devastated with the loss of Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy,” he said in a statement early Sunday.

“Devin was an outstanding young man in every way. He was always smiling, was a great teammate and a joy to coach. Chandler was a valuable member of our football staff and brought an incredible attitude and energy every single day. We grieve with their families for this tragic loss and support them in every way possible,” Smart said.

Then late Sunday night Smart posted a photo of him with a group of football staffers including Chandler LeCroy with a Christmas tree in the background.

“Gone far too soon,” Smart said. “Chandler, I will always remember you for your kind heart.”

Even with her tragic loss, Chandler LeCroy is leaving a lasting impression not only on her childhood community and her fellow employees, but on people across the nation who never met her, never got to know her and never got to enjoy her laugh and kind heart.

Funeral service for Chandler LeCroy is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Toccoa.

The University of Georgia football team and staff, as well as past and current Stephens County High School cheerleading teams will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Tom Law is the publisher of The Toccoa Record. Reach him at tlaw@thetoccoarecord.com.