Christian Harmon was a beloved student of Bastrop High. The 2016 graduate was known by his classmates as a good friend whose generosity and kindness touched the lives of everyone he knew. But this summer, at the young age of 19, Christian passed away unexpectedly when his heart stopped while he was fishing off the coast of Texas. An autopsy revealed the cause was an enlarged heart.
And according to his friends and family, Christian’s heart was ‘as big as Texas.’ One friend, Tanner Hanna, recounted how Christian went out of his way to cheer him up after he had his wisdom teeth extracted. And after Christian’s funeral, his close friend Cody Vinklarek shared a simple statement that described Christian perfectly. “He’d give a shirt off his back.”
That description inspired Christian’s younger sister, Caitlyn, to honor her brother’s generosity and kindness in a tangible. Caitlyn, who is a member of the Bastrop High Student Council.
That description inspired Christian’s younger sister, Caitlyn, to honor her brother’s generosity and kindness in a tangible. Caitlyn, who is a member of the Bastrop High Student Council, started a small initiative to collect clothes for teens in need. Coined “Christian’s Closet,” the service project has grown far beyond what Caitlyn could ever have imagined.
Though losing Christian was a harsh blow for the whole community, his family and friends have found a fitting way to honor him and keep his big-hearted spirit of kindness alive. “We help our school. Whatever we can do,” Caitlyn shared with a local news station. As more and more people continue donating to the project, the group has already been able to help clothe teens in a local foster family. They hope that their efforts will inspire others to keep Christian’s legacy alive by finding ways to give back in their own communities.
