Community Mourns

The Kernersville and East Forsyth High School communities were reeling Monday from separate tragedies involving two former students, Riley LaRue and Bobby Furmage, both of whom had been standout athletes at the local high school during their times there.
LaRue, 19, a 2014 graduate and the son of Wake Forest University basketball legend Rusty LaRue, died Saturday in a car accident in Richmond, Va. Throughout the weekend, former classmates, friends and family posted their shock, sadness and condolences through social media websites like Facebook and Twitter.
On Sunday, several of LaRue’s teammates and East Forsyth staff met men’s basketball coach Mike Muse at the school’s gym to talk about the loss and remember their friend. WFMY News 2 was there to film the gathering, which included a moment of silence in honor of LaRue. A makeshift memorial was set up nearby.
Coach Muse had to fight back tears as he talked to the area television station about LaRue and what he meant to the school family at East.
“He’s going to be one who is deeply missed in my life and in this community of East Forsyth basketball,” Muse said Sunday.
The tears and hugs flowed freely as Muse admitted how hard they were all struggling with the loss.
“Father, right now we’re struggling, each one in a different way. Father, we know there’s no sorrow on this earth that you can’t heal in Heaven,” Muse said with closed eyes as he led a group circle in prayer.
“On and off the court, that was my best friend and, you know, I’m going to miss him, and I just want him to know I love him,” said Avery Wood, a teammate of LaRue’s who drove 90 minutes from Boone to be at the impromptu memorial.
Muse was still shaken on Monday, his voice hesitant but sure as he talked about his former player.
“Riley was a coach’s dream. He was awesome in the classroom and always did well. He was a leader among leaders and the ultimate teammate. He made everyone around him better and was always positive and always looking to help someone else,” Muse said.
Muse said LaRue also supported the other sports programs at East, always in the student section of the stands for Friday night football and at soccer games cheering his fellow students on.
“In this profession, you want to impact kids, but Riley was the kid who impacts you. He was one of those special kids who leaves a mark on your heart,” Muse said.
Muse said it was a rough weekend for all those who knew and cared about LaRue. Although LaRue graduated in 2014, there were still several players on the men’s basketball team who played with LaRue. He’d also been in touch with members of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 teams.
“We’re consoling each other. That’s how we will get through this. We’re all family, and for them it’s like losing a brother. For me, it’s losing a son,” Muse said.
Muse said he will retire LaRue’s number 32 and locker for the remainder of this year’s basketball season.
A memorial service celebrating LaRue’s life will be held Wednesday evening, September 23 beginning at 7 p.m. in the East Forsyth High School gymnasium, located at 2500 West Mountain St. The family will hold a private graveside service at a different time, Muse said.
LaRue is survived by his parents, Rusty and Tammy LaRue; two brothers, Cooper and Maverick, and a sister, Clara; paternal grandparents Bob and Linda LaRue; and maternal grandparents, Ronnie and Cindy Watson.
The family asks that memorials in LaRue’s honor be made to Special Olympics of Forsyth County or to the East Forsyth Booster Club. Pierce-Jefferson Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
In an unrelated but equally devastating incident, Robert “Bobby” Giles Furmage, IV, 28, passed away while on an extended hiking trip on Saturday from an apparent heart attack. The cause of death has not been officially confirmed.
Both LaRue’s and Furmage’s deaths were especially difficult for the Main Street United Methodist Church (UMC) congregation, where the two had strong family ties.
“We had planned to start a five-part sermon on Sunday on human emotion,” stated Main Street UMC Pastor Claude Kaylor. “We had planned on the first part to be about joy. But I heard about Riley on Saturday, and on Sunday before church, we heard about Bobby. We explained what had happened and we changed the sermon to be about grief, what it means to grieve and how to help people who are grieving. A lot of people were appreciative that we were flexible. We thought it was the right thing to do because a lot of people were directly or indirectly affected.”
Kaylor knew Furmage mostly through association with his parents, Robert and Susan Furmage, although Bobby was still a registered member of the church. Susan has been the business manager at the church for several years. Kaylor has heard many stories about the kind of person Bobby was.
“Everyone said he had a big heart. I have heard those words many times during the past two days. One story that I can relate I heard from his mother. Bobby had a friend who was in a band, and someone broke into his apartment and stole all the band equipment,” Kaylor said. “Bobby organized some people together and they bought the band new equipment. That is the kind of person he was, and some, or at least one of the band members, will perform a song at his funeral.”
The passing of Furmage was also disconcerting to former East students and current teachers and coaches. Eagle head football coach Todd Willert had the privilege of coaching Furmage and will miss him.
“He was one of our team leaders and he played tackle for us. He played everywhere on the offensive line. He was a great kid. I saw him at church recently,” Willert said. “He looked good and he had lost a lot of weight. It is a tough time losing him and LaRue. It puts things in perspective as a coach and for everybody at East Forsyth.”
Furmage was a 2005 graduate of East Forsyth and a standout offensive lineman who received a football scholarship to Western Carolina University (WCU). He graduated from WCU in 2009 with a degree in biology. He started studying anthropology at N.C. State University in 2010, according to his Facebook page. Furmage’s parents said Bobby enjoyed theater and music, was one course away from graduating with his second degree and had plans to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant. He was currently working as a dispatcher, they said.
In addition to his parents, Furmage is survived by sisters Audrey Wells, Becca Bell and Hannah Meyer. Kaylor stated that according to Bobby’s mother, one of his favorite things was being an uncle.
“His mom told me he said he had been called a lot of things, but his favorite was Uncle Bobby,” Kaylor said.
A funeral service for Furmage will be held Friday, Sept. 25 at 3 p.m. at Main Street UMC, subject to any changes.