Exiquio Gonzalez played basketball alongside Robert Garza II for three years.
He said he is still trying to make sense of what happened Saturday afternoon.
"It was heart breaking,” Gonzalez said. “We're in shock. We just couldn't believe it...still can't believe it."
Gonzalez and dozens of others rally together to show support for Garza and his grieving family.
"Robert was a great part of our community,” Dulce Maria Gonzalez, a friend of Robert, said.” If there is someone who deserves this, it is him and his family. I wish people could realize what a great person he was."
Garza was playing in a basketball tournament in Austin on Saturday.
Action 4 News was told Garza could not catch his breath and collapsed.
He was rushed to Breckenridge Hospital, where he died.
On Monday, friends, teammates, and coaches held up signs with the hopes of collecting enough money to help Garza’s family pay for a funeral they never expected.
"I know he's in a better place right now,” Teammate Hector Hinojosa said. “It was an honor to just play with him through these years. I'm going to miss him. We loved him."
It is that love that has this small community of 9,000 honoring Number 33 and the life he lived.
The group has collected over $6,000 for the Garza family.
Funeral Arrangements:
Sanchez Funeral Home in Roma
Tuesday March 15th:
Viewing for the immediate family will begin at 9:00am to 10:00am.
General public will be allowed to pay their respects beginning at 10:00am until 9:00pm.
A rosary will be recited for Robert beginning at 7:30pm that evening.
Wednesday March 16th:
Funeral Mass and interment are still pending for Wednesday.
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