High school, father honor late baseball player during graduation at Globe Life Field
Dawson Barnes was a beloved friend and student-athlete in the Burleson community. So when graduation rolled around, the district wanted to honor him the right way.
Barnes died in a car accident in August, a week before starting his senior year at Centennial High School.
“Dawson was honored by students during the year and the Centennial High School administrative staff spoke with the Barnes family about honoring Dawson at graduation,” principal Ikie Holder said.
Head baseball coach Brian Tickell draped Dawson’s cap, gown and regalia over his assigned seat at Globe Life Field, which hosted Centennial’s graduation ceremony on June 6.
“I was honored to do that. I had some help from our softball coach, Shannon Sullivan, who adored Dawson,” Tickell said. “It was very emotional throughout the ceremony. I miss him every single day and the graduation ceremony was special for the Barnes family and Centennial High School.”
Then it was time to find someone to receive his diploma.
“I knew early on that I needed to walk for him, but I had to talk myself into it,” Dawson’s father Keith Barnes said. “I absolutely broke down. Both of my girls didn’t want to walk because it was a reminder that Dawson is gone.”
So when Dawson’s name was called, Keith received his diploma, walked across home plate and gave Bret Jimerson a hug, superintendent for Burleson ISD.
“Dawson was a wonderful young man,” Jimerson said. “He was a natural leader who loved his family, friends and baseball. Other students naturally gravitated to his positive, infectious personality. He left a tremendous legacy with us. I miss him.”
“The whole experience was like a gut punch that I knew I had to take. He earned it so I had to except it for him,” Keith added. “Throughout the day, the kids I knew and kids I have never met made it so much easier.”
Barnes was an all-district baseball selection as a junior as he hit .390 with 12 RBIs and 31 runs, and was named to the Class 5A all-state team by the Texas Sports Writers Association.
Hundreds of people remembered Barnes at a vigil the day after his death and early $20,000 was raised less than a week later on a GoFundMe account.
The Burleson Fire Department announced that its second fire station will be relocated to Hidden Creek Parkway, the scene of the crash, starting early 2021.
“The love people have for our son is overwhelming at times,” Keith said. “Thank you so much. You never know how the most simple words, a hug or acknowledgment have helped us along this journey.”
