LITTLE ROCK — Thousands gathered at Christ the King Catholic Church on Monday afternoon to say goodbye to deceased Arkansas tight end Garrett Uekman.
The standing-room only service paid tribute to the 19-year-old redshirt freshman, who passed away after being found unresponsive in his dorm room on Nov. 20. Preliminary autopsy revealed Uekman had a heart condition that contributed to his death.
The service lasted more than an hour and celebrated the life of Uekman, a graduate of Little Rock Catholic High School, who was described as both a great student-athlete and a role model for younger generations.
"To say that other boys looked up to Garrett would be like saying (Mt.) Everest is a mountain," Little Rock Catholic principal Steve Straessle said.
Rev. Msgr. Lawrence Fredrick called the service a "celebration of life" for Uekman.
"Some people put their dreams away," Fredrick said during the service. "Others take their dreams and work at them. This is what Garrett did."
The service for the late Razorback was decked out in red, with many vehicles in the processional and in the parking lot sporting Razorback car flags. Among the pallbearers were Uekman's Arkansas teammates Austin Tate, Zach Hocker, Luke Charpentier and Brian Buehner. A majority of the Razorbacks' team — including head coach Bobby Petrino — made the trip from Fayetteville for the service, most clad in their athletic jumpsuits.
As family and friends exited the church, the congregation broke out into Arkansas' traditional "Woo Pig, Sooie!" chant, a tribute to Uekman and his love for the Razorbacks.