I had to take some time to collect my thoughts about what I witnessed on Saturday. I have never been so emotionally moved in my entire life.

I saw tears, smiles, hugs and kisses. I saw courage, strength, sadness and grief. I saw family, friends and teammates come together to say goodbye to a fallen friend.

I saw football players with tears in their eyes say a prayer, say a cheer and stand in silence for 20 or 30 minutes because they did not know how to leave their friend. I was so proud of these students, who, in the past two weeks, have surely become quite exceptional young adults. They have shown the Ledyard community what it truly means to stand united, to support one another, and they have given us all a gift.

Don't let a day go by that you don't tell your children how much you love them and value them, and how proud you are of them. I know I won't.

As a parent of one of those football players, my life has surely been changed by the death of Matt Buriak and the community's reaction to it.