PALATKA, Florida. – The Palatka High School community came together Friday to honor the life of a 15-year-old football player who died suddenly from complications of possible cardiac arrest.

Robert James Gillon III suffered a “blue out” in the first football game of the season.

The number 8 was seen on jerseys and helmets all over the field to show support for Gillon’s family.

Gillon’s father, Robert Gillon, called the support a “wonderful thing.”

“Palatka came together and showered us with love. We could feel the comfort like a blanket,” he said.

According to the police report, Gillon complained of chest pains before practice on August 12, but still participated. He returned home later that day and was found dead in the early morning of August 13.

“He is my only biological son and I wish I had 100 more sons like him because he had so much impact on the community,” said Robert Gillon. “So when it comes to the way he acted and behaved, I wish there were not just 100 but 1,000 more.”

Robert’s family participated in the coin toss at the beginning of the game. They called tails; the coin landed on tails, which was a sign for Robert’s mother, Dedra McCormick.

“I think it’s common practice to pick heads, but with him it wasn’t common practice, so I think he would have picked tails too,” she said.

Dedra McCormick said she was initially overwhelmed by the community’s love, but was grateful for how much her son was loved.

“He was really a good boy,” she said. “And I think about how we raised him and everything; he was really a good boy and it shows, so I’m very proud of that,” she said.

William McCormick, Robert’s stepfather, described the teenager as a humble child who did everything from the heart.

“He didn’t need praise. He did things out of the goodness of his heart. He was godlike and didn’t need praise or recognition. He just did it because he knew it was the right thing to do,” McCormick said.

Roberts’ teammates also said they wanted to dedicate the football season to his legacy.