BRAZOS COUNTY, TEXAS — Chance Gibson, a track & field freshman athlete at Texas A&M, died tragically Saturday morning after hydroplaning on the road during his drive home for the holidays.
The Woodlands community and the Aggie network mourn the loss of someone with such a promising future ahead.
"He may not have said it outright, but he truly cared about every single one of his teammates," Joseph Benn, sophomore track athlete for Texas A&M. "He would do anything for anyone. He was so selfless, and would always put the team first.”
Gibson was the son of an Aggie alumnus and dreamed his whole high school career of running track for A&M. His coach at the Woodlands High School, Juris Green, remembers how the teenage boy strove to improve his work and go the distance – all while never leaving anyone behind.
“I’ve heard from families how he mentored their son as a freshman, and teach them how to speak to me if they had problems," Green said. "... He was one of those kids who genuinely cared about the athletes around him.”
Gibson’s teammates current and prior said they are devastated to hear of his passing.
"Words cannot express the loss of chance," Texas A&M head track coach Pat Henry said in a statement."... Chance was a great young person with a bright future. He will be missed by everyone that came in contact with him. It is a sad day for Texas A&M, and our hearts are broken for his family and friends."
A GoFundMe account has been started for Gibson’s family. Within 18 hours it had well exceeded its initial $20,000 goal.
Coach Green commented that the outpouring of community support has been astounding, reflective of the young man’s legacy - and what a star he could have been.
“What Chance had was something that was un-coachable," said Green. ".... Just his attention to detail and his work ethic was his ace in his back pocket.”
Those interested can visit the following GoFundMe link:
Fundraiser by Cisco Herrera : Remembering Chance Gibson (gofundme.com)