LONGVIEW, Wash. -- For Kyle Wagner a simple game of catch just is not the same without teammate Charlie Huff.
"If he's in a wild mood he'll lick you on the cheek or he'll blow in your ears," said Wagner.
That infectious personality is what made the 21-year-old stick out like a sore thumb. Perhaps nobody knows that better than Charlie's stepfather.
"He would go to the store and not know anybody and people would give him a high five and think he was the coolest kid in the world," said Tyler Johnson.
Two Saturdays ago Charlie was playing in a gold medal game with his Special Olympics team when he collapsed on the baseball diamond.
"The paramedics came and tried CPR, but pretty much nothing. That was it," said Johnson.
Charlie died of what was believed to be a heart attack. For his little sister, the news is not any easier to swallow today than it was two weeks ago.
"It's too quiet in my house," said Courtney Olson. "A lot of things make me miss him."
Olson is not alone. One of Charlie's coaches recalls the day when the outfielder went out of his way for him.
"I was nervous because it was my first year coaching an actual team and he gave me a bear hug and made me feel more comfortable," said Anthony Wagner.
Those stories will forever define Charlie's legacy.
For teammates like Kyle Wagner that will make it easier to take the field next season.
