East Clinton High School senior Emilee Cross was named the Brett Wightman Award Tuesday during the Wightman Invitational track and field meet at ECHS.
The award, established in 2006, goes to a senior track and field athlete at East Clinton who best exemplifies Wightman’s traits of character, dedication, excellence, leadership and sportsmanship.
Wightman’s father Keith presented Cross with the award on Tuesday.
LCpl Brett Wightman, an East Clinton High School graduate, lost his life Aug. 3, 2005 serving his country in Hadithah, Iraq. He was among 14 Marines killed in an explosion.
Wightman was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve in Columbus, attached to Regimental Combat team 2, 2nd Marine Division II Marine Expeditionary Force.
Wightman, who played football and was a member of the EC track and field team, had aspired to be a Marine since his childhood and made his dream come true right after graduating from East Clinton.
The past winners of the Brett Wightman Award are:
2006 – Elizabeth Wilson
2007 – Samantha Bean
2008 – Jacob Wilson
2009 – Sammi Saville
2010 – Kirstin Woodruff
2011 – Matt Morrow
2012 – Nelson Grimm
2013 – Max Morrow
2014 – Caleb Broughton
2015 – Levi Luttrell
2016 – Josh Jones
