Classmate’s Death Gives Teenagers Lesson in Life

The picture button is steadfastly pinned to Ashley Struhs’ purse; it comforts her to finger it absent-mindedly or to gaze down at the snapshot of the young man who died suddenly and far too young.

“I love when people ask about it,” said the Fountain Valley 17-year-old. “I love thinking about him and telling people, ‘That’s my best friend; that’s Scotty Lang.’ ”

It’s been nearly two years since Steven “Scotty” Lang, a Fountain Valley High School football player, collapsed and died of a heart ailment while practicing for the biggest game of the year. But the spirit of the student famous for his bear hugs and that gleaming, picture-perfect smile remains strong.

As Fountain Valley’s graduation gets underway today, a commencement speech will recall the memory of the fun-loving teenager who should have been in their midst.

“Graduation is going to be tough,” said Matt “Buck” Borgquist, 17, of Fountain Valley, pals with Lang since fourth grade. “I wish he could be here with us. But he will be there, in a way.”

Lang’s death sent shock waves through his community, where residents often share school, sports and church interests. But it’s been that circle’s ongoing response that has set Lang’s legacy apart.

For adults, his short life has served as a guidepost of sorts, helping them to place renewed value on their own lives and deeds. For his classmates, Lang’s death has given them a perspective that is rare for teenagers.

Struhs and Borgquist say they are slower to get angry with loved ones, quicker to hug and to laugh. They have grown closer to family and friends.

“You realize you never know when you’re going to see someone again, if you’re going to see someone again,” Struhs said.

“You cherish stuff more. I don’t take anything for granted since Scotty,” Borgquist said. “I think about him every day.”

At 16, Lang already stood 6-foot-5 and weighed 250 pounds. The offensive lineman died Nov. 15, 1999, after collapsing on the field where the team was preparing to play Long Beach Poly in the first round of the Division I playoffs.

His death was attributed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an abnormal thickening of the heart. The condition is treatable but difficult to detect; Lang was unaware he was at risk.

In the hours after his death, Lang’s parents and three older sisters clung to their faith but wondered whether they could ever get past their grief. The healing, they said, began with the nearly 600 people who turned out for Lang’s visitation before the funeral, and the more than 2,500 who attended his services.

“We were amazed at the time, we didn’t understand,” said Cindy Lang, whose smile matches her boy’s. “Of course we thought he was special, but this outpouring . . . we wondered, ‘Where is it coming from?’ ”

It had only just begun.

There were thousands of cards and handwritten letters; they still trickle in. There were countless flower arrangements, including one from actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, who never met Lang but was moved by the news coverage of his death. More than two dozen trees were planted in his honor, two of them on the school grounds. A sports film room was dedicated in his name, as were athletic and chorale scholarships granted this past weekend. The football season was dedicated to Lang and the players wore orange socks--Lang’s favorite color--when they again met Long Beach Poly in the playoffs.

Even today, a trip through the campus parking lot turns up new circular stickers bearing his football jersey number--75--and the message, “Scotty Lang, We Love You.” His image is there on this year’s senior mug, his name recalled on the senior dedication pages of the yearbook.

At the Langs’ church, Scotty’s name is frequently invoked, most recently as an example of someone who knew how to be a true friend.

“He really continues to be a part of things. He hasn’t been forgotten,” said Gary Schaap, a church youth leader. “Kids have really walked away from this with an important life lesson.”

Lang’s death has also raised awareness nationwide about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Last September, more than 350 Fountain Valley athletes underwent free heart exams as part of a pilot program launched by the Yorba Linda-based A Heart for Sports Foundation. Plans to expand the program are underway.

“It makes us feel good to realize that something positive has come out of this,” Steve Lang said.

It’s not uncommon for Scotty’s friends to drop by the family’s Huntington Beach home for dinner or refreshments, and to reminisce. Friends and neighbors do not hesitate to bring up his name when they run into the Langs at the supermarket or on the street. Their refusal to forget Scotty has helped the family recover, Steve Lang said.

“Sometimes I wonder, ‘Why are we so lucky?’ ” he said. “I don’t know. But we are just grateful.”

Lang was a “gentle giant” who seemed at ease with his convictions and values.

Just old enough to go on solo dates, he attended seminary classes at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints each morning before school. A gifted singer, Lang was so eager to join Fountain Valley High’s choir that he auditioned while still in middle school.

At an age when many of his peers struggled to fit in, he somehow made it all hip.

“There are some boys who maybe would want to be in choir but would not because they lack the confidence to face up to the pressure of their peers,” said choir instructor Ted Reid. “Scotty wasn’t the least bit concerned about that sort of thing.”

Those who knew him best have wondered what exactly about Lang’s death prompted such an outpouring of support. Was it because the Huntington Beach teen’s death was so sudden? Or because he was so handsome, so young? Or the widespread media attention? Struhs--who always joked with her pal that they would marry someday--said the answer is simpler.

“He was too good of a friend to forget, too special, too fun,” said the young woman, who added that her bag and button--a favorite picture of Scotty as a soccer player--will accompany her when she attends Utah Valley State College in the fall.

“Even if you tried, you couldn’t forget him. But why would you want to do that?”