Zarold Wilder got his hair cut in the shape of the No. 5 last week.
That kind of expression isn’t unusual for a high school football player eager for the season opener. Except that No. 5 isn’t Wilder’s number.
At McEachern High School, No. 5 is eternally Rajaan Bennett, the all-state player who lost his life in a murder-suicide in February.
On Saturday night at the Georgia Dome, McEachern took the field for their game against Peachtree Ridge without its star for the first time since the tragedy. Players ran through a banner with the No. 5 and a message that read, “We aren’t scared,’’ a reference to Bennett’s final post on Facebook, which said, “Don’t be scared.’’
Wilder and five other players have tattoos that memorialize Bennett in some way. Wilder, who succeeded Bennett as McEachern’s feature running back, visited Bennett’s grave on Thursday, a ritual he plans to repeat before each game.
“I talked to him and told him to watch over me and our teammates and give us strength,’’ Wilder said. “He was my big brother, my mentor, a leader, everything I looked up to.’’
The outpouring of support and affection for Bennett, who would have been a freshman player at Vanderbilt this fall, and his family has been a gift of hope in an otherwise senseless story.
Bennett was a popular student with a 3.8 grade-point average. He had been a father figure in home since age 11, when his own father died in a car accident, and helped his mother, Narjaketha Bennett, raise siblings Desybon, now 17, a special-needs child, and Narcharlette, 14, a McEachern freshman.
On Feb. 18, days after he had signed a football scholarship to Vandy, Bennett was shot and killed by his mother’s former boyfriend, who had broken into the Bennetts’ home after midnight.
Narjaketha Bennett came to Saturday’s game with her children and mother. Each wore a blue T-shirt with the No. 5 on the back in memory of a son who had scored four touchdowns in this game at the Dome a year ago.
“I’m just excited,’’ Narjaketha said. “Seeing the crowd with the No. 5 and all that support is wild. I had to come. I just knew it was going to be a great moment.’’
Narcharlette said her mother was always like that at a football game. Narcharlette was more subdued.
“I feel sad at times; it makes me miss him,’’ Narcharlette said. “But I’m glad to see them showing love for my brother.’’
The players wore No. 5 patches on their jerseys. Several fans and students had “Keep 5 Alive’’ on T-shirts.
Narjaketha Bennett says it has been that way since her son’s death.
The day after Bennett’s death, McEachern started a foundation that raised money to pay for the funeral. In March, Hawks forward Josh Smith, a former McEachern student, pledged to pay for the living expenses of Bennett’s family for six months.
Several Rajaan Bennett fan pages have been started on Facebook. Rajaan’s own Facebook page remains active, and new friends join every week.
Narjaketha Bennett says she has received encouraging e-mails, Facebook messages and cards almost every day since her son’s death.
A high school player in Philadelphia told her that he is dedicating his senior season to Bennett’s memory and e-mails her a couple of times a month. An 8-year-old in Texas sent her a ceramic heart and a postcard.
“It’s therapeutic for me,’’ Narjaketha said.” It helps my daughter, too. She’s on Facebook.”
Tributes continue this season. Former teammate Demarius Matthews, now at Georgia State, is wearing jersey No. 5 in honor of Bennett. Chris Awuah, a friend of Bennett’s who played against him while at South Cobb High, wears a No. 5 practice jersey at Tennessee-Chattanooga.
On Friday, a group of parents of freshman football players at Vandy visited Narjaketha and asked for photographs of Rajaan smiling. They plan to have an artist make a portrait.
Next week, at McEachern’s home opener, the school will retire Bennett’s number and erect a monument at the football stadium.
‘’I knew that he was a special child,’’ Narjaketha Bennett said. “This has made it all clear to me how much he’s been missed.’’
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