Pedro Roman was just 17 years old when he died from acute lymphoblastic leukemia this week on Monday.
He was diagnosed in 2019.
He inspired his fellow football players at Valencia High School to shave their heads in solidarity and rally around their sick teammate.
Curt White, teacher and head coach of the junior varsity football team at Valencia High School, spoke to KNX In-Depth about Pedro, the team and how they and the community rallied around Pedro amid the devastating news and shock.
There's a GoFundMe that is ongoing and has raised more than $47,000 so far. There's also a vigil tonight at 8 p.m. at Central Park and everyone is asked to bring purple glow sticks - the school's color, according to The Signal in Santa Clarita.
"Needless to say when we first got the news, it was a tremendous shock to myself and his teammates, the entire Valencia Viking community and Viking football program," White says adding they were trying to come to grips with the news.
White says "It continued to be a challenging time especially for his teammates." Pedro had a year and a half long fight with the disease, he says.
"He continued to be on everyone's' mind. He was always in our thoughts and prayers and it would continue to be challenging especially for his teammates."
White says he spoke to the team about God's will and plan.
"None of us can understand God's plan or God's will and why He chose Pedro, he added "We should be there to support him as much as possible and continue to pray for him and try to be as much of an inspiration and encouraging to him as much as possible." He says the teammates would text message and Facetime with Pedro throughout the ordeal.
White says people grieve in different ways when it comes to death.
Pedro died on Monday.
"I think with any kind of death people grieve in different ways. Everybody handles it differently," he says adding some were much more emotional about it than others. "I would say those who were closer with Pedro had a much more difficult time dealing with it and handling it."
White says the school supported Pedro and sending messages of support to him - even students at Valencia who had never even met him.
"It was truly amazing and inspirational to see the whole Viking community and Viking program coming together to try to support him and his family," White says.