‘A Christian who played football:’ Family, friends remember Dalton Gay
Published 12:11 am Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Dalton Gay's friend, Carson Furr, described the recently deceased high schooler as a Christian who played football. - Blair Phillips Photography
Dalton Gay would lead mid-week worship at Charity Baptist Church in Kannapolis. - Submittted
Dalton Gay pitched and played first base for the Carson High School Cougars. - Submitted
Dalton Gay, far right, was a battalion commander for the South Rowan High School JROTC. - Submitted
Dalton Gay, at right, was selected as an apex player for the Carson High School Cougar football team. He was a rising senior. - Submitted
Dalton Gay
CHINA GROVE — Dalton Gay, a rising senior at Carson High School, died on Saturday. He was 17.
Family and friends remember a young man who was hard-nosed on the gridiron, dependable on the diamond, but even more steadfast in his faith.
“As they said (Sunday), he was a football player that played baseball,” said Michelle Payne, Dalton’s mother. “I think that accurately describes him.”
Friend Carson Furr added, “He was a football player that played baseball, but more than that, he was a Christian who played football.”
According to his mother, faith meant everything to Dalton, who was a summer intern at Charity Baptist Church in Kannapolis.
“He was preaching their mid-week services,” Michelle said. “He was very much a leader of the youth in the church.”
Dalton’s family shared a video testimonial that he recorded a little while back.
“Before I met Christ, I was always living a life of how could I be popular and how could I fit in,” Dalton said in the video. “It left me feeling empty like I wanted more out of life. That’s when a friend invited me to DNOW.”
DNOW is a ministries event at Charity Baptist Church.
“It’s where I met Christ,” Dalton said. “It’s where I got to see and feel the body of Christ and how amazing that is and how he can change your life.”
Dalton said he felt like his life was off track from where it needed to be.
“I have all these problems caused because I was not following Christ,” Dalton said. “I decided to take the step and follow the Lord and Savior and pursue that relationship with Him.”
His blossoming relationship with Christ strengthened Dalton’s resolve to always strain to be a better Christian and person.
“I realized that through Christ I can do these things and that he gives me the power to overcome these trials in my life, and I was able to rise above and keep the Lord on the mantle of my life, keep pursuing him every day and it made me better because of it,” Dalton said. “Through the Lord, my life has been transformed to be something better, to live for something more than just myself, that the Lord has given me the ability to have eternal life with him.”
Through grief-stricken tears on Monday, Dalton’s family found solace in the faith that he was home with his Heavenly Father.
However, left behind are the earthly dreams of a young man that will never be realized. Dalton was a battalion commander for the South Rowan High School JRTOC program. His brother just graduated from the United States Military Academy West Point. Following in his brother’s footsteps was always something that Dalton considered. After all, Dalton wore 43 in high school because that’s the number his brother wore.
“His first pick was to go to West Point like his brother did,” Michelle said. “He (also) loved Liberty University, and he loved the idea of going into biblical studies. That was definitely on the discussion board.”
Dalton’s father, David Gay, added, “Dalton was your typical teenager that wants to hold onto so many things at one time. He wanted to keep playing football, so there were some options out there for him.
“Dalton was a really talented kid. Had he, three years ago, said I am going to play for the University of Georgia, and he set about it like he set about his work for Christ, there is no doubt in my mind that Kirby Smart would have sat right there in that chair.”
With prospects of playing in college on the table, Dalton recently attended a workout at Virginia Military Institute. As his family and friends pointed out, his North Star would always be the same no matter where Dalton went.
“We were all at supper, and Dalton said, when I am at West Point, I feel at home,” David said. “When I am at Liberty, I feel at home. If I want to go play football, I’m home.”
Carson added, “I think it speaks to his relationship with Jesus. (He might not) know what this looks like, but God, wherever you call (him, he is) going to feel at home.”
When he wasn’t preaching at church, Dalton still found ways to share his faith with others. He was an officer for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Carson High School and led the football team in prayer before kickoffs. Sometimes, the right time would occur organically, and Dalton always had a way of seizing the moment.
David told a story about Dalton’s encounter with some young adults at Go Burrito in Salisbury, which boiled over to some exchanged remarks.
“The next thing you know, Dalton was up on the table, witnessing to them,” David said.
Michelle added, “That’s just Dalton for you.”
Even when he wasn’t outright testifying, Dalton embodied a Christ-like approach to helping others. For instance, he developed a love for construction through a job with Restoration Ward.
“(Owner) Zach Ward really impacted Dalton’s life because he was considering, if he wasn’t going to do biblical studies, he was looking at engineering because he wanted to be a contractor,” Michelle said.
All work aside, for Dalton, it was just one more avenue to help those less fortunate.
“Charity Baptist is building a food pantry for the community,” Michelle said. “Dalton has spent endless hours resurrecting the walls of that food pantry doing that construction work. We’re asking for memorials to be sent in lieu of flowers to the food pantry.”
Donations can be sent through https://app.clovergive.com/App/Form/d33bf253-1158-48da-b3a1-3f36bec67b24.
Dalton also received a heroism medal for stopping one night to assist a pedestrian struck in a hit-and-run incident.
“Dalton stopped and gave life-saving measures to the victim,” Michelle said.
Following his death, Dalton’s impact continues, as evidenced by his teammates’ actions after the news broke on Saturday.
“I had a conversation with seven guys on the football team (Saturday) who gave their life to Christ just because of how they saw that in Dalton,” Carson said.
Arie Murray, a friend of Dalton’s, described him as a person with “overwhelming love and compassion” for everyone.
“(He had) a spirit to where he sees one person and automatically wants to have a conversation with them,” Murray said. “Dalton was always ready to defend his faith, to stand up for what’s right, but most importantly, to be someone for everyone no matter what they needed. He was protective but also had this soft spot in his heart for anyone hurting or just needing a little love.
“(He was) Truly a loving example of a renewed man of God.”
Amanda Macon, the Rowan-Salisbury School director of recruitment and induction and former principal at South Rowan High School, said services were available for grieving students.
“When the family held a vigil on Sunday, we had counselors from our district there available for students,” Macon said. “As we start the school year, we will make sure there are supports available for students at Carson and other buildings because we know that Dalton had an impact across different schools.”
The medical condition that claimed Dalton’s life remained a mystery as of Monday. His parents said they were waiting for the autopsy to confirm what caused his cardiac arrest.
Plans for a service and memorial have yet to be finalized and will be posted when they are available.
