<body><div>The community of Culver is still trying to navigate through the death of Jorja Nelson, who died in a car crash earlier this month.The Culver High School softball team did everything it could last Friday to honor Nelson as they prepared to play their first game since her passing.For those attending Culver, Jorja Nelson was more than just a classmate. She was a friend."Even if she was struggling with something, she'd always put others before herself," Culver freshman Ashlynn Marlatt said.She was more than just an athlete. She was a competitor."She always kept us excited and just always wanted to be here," said sophomore Shelby Bunting.A Culver High School student and athlete, described as "a vibrant soul" who loved spending time in the outdoors and with loved ones, was killed in a car crash last weekend.She was more than just a student. She was someone who cared."I loved having her in class and seeing her in the hallway," said assistant coach and health teacher Amber Smith. "She was the kid that would ask me how my day was going and take the second to stop and say hi."She was more than just a captain. Jorja was a leader."She always made sure to include all the freshmen and everything, and she never made any of us feel left out," saidNelson died in a car crash on April 7, leaving a giant hole in this tight-knit community. It is heartbreaking for a town and a school trying to navigate its way through the loss of one of their own.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4S3IZ0_0sUQsKZL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4S3IZ0_0sUQsKZL00" width="1920" height="1080" ></figure>"It's affected our student body and our team in waves," said Smith. I mean, we came out here on Monday, not even 48 hours after she passed. And we told the girls, hey, this is an optional practice. If you want to show up and just sit here and just be, you can just sit here and be because this is one of Jorja's favorite places to be."Dealing with a tragic loss involving someone you care about is not easy."We actually had a game that was supposed to happen on Tuesday earlier this week," said head coach T.J. Foltz. "We decided to cancel that game just to get our emotions right. Let our kids have the opportunity to grieve, however they chose to grieve, and get us back to what I call the new normal for us."With fresh emotions, it was a difficult time for the softball team."It's going to be rough, but I know she's going to want us to push through it and do the best we can," said freshman Karlie Dade.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4EHAv0_0sUQsKZL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4EHAv0_0sUQsKZL00" width="1920" height="1080" ></figure>The Bulldogs were back on the field five days after Jorja's passing as they tried to find a new normal in a time that was anything but."We're going to have to learn how to move on," said junior Haleigh St. Claire. "But we're never going to move on from Jorja. Jorja is always going to be with us. It's just going to be hard to learn how to play without her."The Bulldogs made sure they did everything they could to honor Jorja. That night was about their former third baseman, from a moment of silence to a hung-up jersey."They all have turquoise ribbons in their hair," said assistant Culver softball coach and health teacher Amanda Smith. "We have flags up everywhere for Jorja. We're all wearing rings, and those are all just some little pieces of Jorja that we can carry with us. But, I mean, from here on out, without the ribbons, without the rings, it's like every time we step on a softball field as a team, it's different now. It's not the same, and there's a hole. We have a jersey hanging in our dugout right now that, you know, we're missing the player. And they'll carry that jersey with them for the rest of the season and probably the seasons on after this for the foreseeable future. She will not be forgotten."Before the game began, the opposing team -- the Mohawk Mustangs -- sent their condolences in the form of a $500 check toward the softball program.The community, coworkers and a fleet of vans came out in support, showing the family that they all stood behind them."You can never prepare yourself for something like that, and the only thing I can say is that we came together as a company for Jason, Sheila, and the entire Nelson family," said Scott Wilson of Garner Electric.The team gave one final hug to the parents and personalized messages from the community, and then it was time to play ball. As the game went on, so did the healing process. Tears turned to hugs and sniffles to tears.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2fHZk5_0sUQsKZL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2fHZk5_0sUQsKZL00" width="1920" height="1080" ></figure>The Lady Dogs played with heart and grit, the best to honor their fallen teammate they knew how."It's been a hard few days for all of us, and I think us coming together and being able to play the game of softball is something that's going to heal our hearts and heal us as people," said Foltz.The steps towards healing also led to a viewpoint at Lake Billy Chinook last weekend as the town released balloons in the sky in tribute to Jorja.A celebration of life for Jorja will be held Friday at the Free Methodist Church in Madras.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=48AgJO_0sUQsKZL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=48AgJO_0sUQsKZL00" width="1920" height="1080" ></figure></div></body>

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'She'd always put others before herself': Culver honors fallen friend, teammate Jorja Nelson

The community of Culver is still trying to navigate through the death of Jorja Nelson, who died in a car crash earlier this month. The Culver High School softball team did everything it could last Friday to honor Nelson as they prepared to play their first game since her passing.

'She'd always put others before herself': Culver honors fallen friend, teammate Jorja Nelson

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