Homecoming float featured opposing player’s tombstone. His family has lost 4 young sons

Valley View School District in Arkansas says the graveyard-themed float in its homecoming parade, featuring a tombstone with the words “RIP Allen #15,” wasn’t meant as anything more than “a symbol for defeating the opponent.”

“No one knew the family history,” the school district said in an apology posted to its Facebook page.

Had anyone in charge of decorating the float known Allen Watson’s family history, they probably would have gone with another theme — maybe one that didn’t bring the concept of death into the week’s festivities as Valley View High prepared to play nearby Wynne, where Watson plays receiver and linebacker, according to Maxpreps.

That’s because Watson’s grandmother, Gwendolyn McNutt, knows what it’s like to bury a son. She’s had to do it four times, according to the book she wrote on dealing with grief, called “Angels Never Die.”

“Who would want to see this death tag attached to their child name?” she asked in a Facebook post of her own late Thursday night, calling out Valley View for the tombstone. “After losing 4 sons before the age of 19.”

All four of McNutt’s sons suffered from two rare medical conditions, KAIT reported: Fanconi Anemia and Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome. She lost them over a span of 10 years.

She said faith, family members and friends helped pull her and her husband through the darkest times in their lives, the station reported in 2015.

Valley View issued the apology Friday morning, also on Facebook.

“Administration became aware of the float very late last night and took immediate action,” it read, in part. “Administration will be contacting the Wynne Superintendent and Athletic Director to apologize for the actions of our students.”

The Valley View Blazers (4-1) host the Wynne Yellowjackets (2-3) at 7 p.m. Friday.

This story was originally published October 5, 2018 at 12:42 PM.