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Wednesday is a special day in Kansas City, Kansas — Sir'Antonio Brown would be turning 7 years old.
The football field was one of his favorite places to be, and his former teammates honored Sir ahead of his birthday.
"We asked Sir, 'We need you to block one of the biggest, meanest kids on the other team,' and he took care of him," said Andrew Childress, coach for WYCO Rebels.
Childress, known to his team as "Coach Drew," said this was Sir's year.
"He was a bubbly kid," Childress said. "He would be the first one to ask how, when and why."
The WYCO Rebels football team uses the field as a way to release.
"This is an outlet for some of the kids," Childress said.
The kids are all competitive, but they're also family.
"At the end of the season I go from Coach Drew, to Uncle Drew," he said.
Every practice and game this season is intentional, because they feel a family member is missing from their table.
Sir's loved ones are still grieving him after he was tragically killed in a shooting in May.
"This year we can see him [Sir] watching down on us as we speak," he said.
The cheerleaders chant "Sir Strong," created by Sir's sister, Beautiful Brown.
"I’ve been thinking about him lately, but I’m OK," Beautiful Brown said.
Every time she's on the sidelines, she remembers who she's cheering for.
"It just reminds me of him," Beautiful Brown said. "I know he's out there playing football, but he's not really out there."
Home can be a football field, but as they think of what would've been Sir's seventh birthday, it's not the same.
"All he used to say is, 'Are you okay?'" Beautiful Brown said. "Tomorrow, I'm going to say that all day."
The coaches continue on this season trying to keep their home and their family together.
"Has he gotten his wings yet? Questions I can't answer, but we have to play our hearts and souls out for Sir'Antonio brown," Childress said.
They will still cheer him on whether he's on the field or a bit higher.
"Forever six," his sister said. "Well, he passed when he was six, so I'm gonna say he's still six. He is gonna grow up, but he's still gonna be six to me."
KCK police arrested two suspects in Sir's death. A third suspect has not been charged. Police could not confirm whether they've been identified.
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