A teenager died from cancer. Here’s how Bluffton students, police plan to honor him
Students at May River High School in Bluffton and officers with the Bluffton Police Department are offering tributes to a teenager who died this week after a 10-month fight against a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Michael Mugrage, 16, a student at May River High School, was diagnosed last November with high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma. He died Tuesday morning.
With help from the May River High School Booster Club, 250 students were given special T-shirts to wear to the Sharks’ Friday night football game against Whale Branch.
The white T-shirts included a gold ribbon that is the symbol of childhood cancer awareness, said Adam Dowe, president of the Booster Club.
The shirts said #playingforMichael in blue and featured a large number 4 on the back.
The football team this year is honoring Mugrage by rotating jersey No. 4 among players, WTOC reported. The original plan was for Michael to be an honorary captain, but his deteriorating health prevented that.
Celebration of life
A celebration of life is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday in the gym at May River High, according to his obituary on the website of Sauls Funeral Home.
The Bluffton Police Department will be playing a key role in the ceremony.
Mugrage, whose favorite subject in school before his illness was criminal justice, was sworn in as an honorary police officer earlier this month.
“Many of our officers will be attending,” said Joy Nelson, Police Department spokesperson. “With the impact that Michael made on so many of our lives over the last few months, I have a feeling most of us will be there.”
The officers, who will be wearing a black band across their badges until the celebration of life, plan to arrive in a procession from the Police Department to the high school.
They will have their lights and sirens on as “a sign of solidarity for one of our own,” Nelson said.
The department’s honor guard will participate in the ceremony, and the American flag that was flying at the Police Department on the day Mugrage died will be presented to the teen’s mother, Nelson said.
This story was originally published August 29, 2018 at 4:49 PM.