Former Eastlake Little League World Series star Micah Pietila-Wiggs was remembered during a vigil Wednesday night on the baseball field where he was a standout at Eastlake High School.
One of the special moments shared, 21 seconds of applause commemorating the 21 years of life Micah lived, followed by people using their cell phone flashlights to light up the night sky.
Micah’s brother called him a beacon of light, love and friendship.
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That light was extinguished Saturday when he lost control of the truck he was driving on Interstate 5 near the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Parts of the 2018 Eastlake High School graduate's life were chronicled during the vigil in a video tribute. In between, friends shared stories about how he impacted their lives.
Many of them reiterated how Micah was an amazing soul who infected people in the most positive way.
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One friend recalled his love for monster trucks and how he lived life at 1,500 horsepower.
Micah gained popularity in the Southbay community as the long-haired star who helped lead his Eastlake team to the Little League World Series in 2013.
Coach Doug Holman from his 2013 Little League team said Micah was a human highlight reel, both on and off the field.
“You can live life like Micah and cherish every moment with every person. I'm 56 years old an I’ve got to make some changes just thinking of the way that kid presented himself. Fantastic kid," Holman said.
Joe Heinz who’s a longtime friend of the family marveled at how Micah was kind to everyone.
“He'd always go out of his way to make my son feel comfortable and make him feel welcome at school. That's a special characteristic he had. He was so generous and caring," said Heinz.
In a testament to show just how caring Micah was, Holman shared a story of how Micah, who was known for his long blond hair, colored it pink to support a friend who later died of cancer.
