MEET CJ · FOREVER #24

Cedrick “CJ” Michael Harris, Jr.

June 11, 2006 – April 4, 2021

A son, a brother, a teammate, and a friend to everyone. CJ made people feel like they mattered.

CJ smiling in his baseball uniform and cap

HIS STORY

Not your average 14-year-old.

CJ was born on June 11, 2006, in Miami, Florida, to proud parents Cedrick Harris, Sr. and Marie Ferdinand-Harris. He was a bright 8th-grade student at Ashdown Jr. High School in Ashdown, Arkansas, and a loving young man with a heart of gold.

CJ had a genuine love for people. Even though he was the star athlete, an honor roll student, a member of the student council, and one of the most popular kids in school, he was drawn to the kids who needed a friend. He always took time to make sure everyone felt important and like they mattered.

One of his best qualities was his humility. He did not like the attention that came with being an exceptional athlete. Instead, he had a way of turning that attention into positivity that was reflected in the people around him.

He wanted people to know and remember his name, not just for sports, but for being a kind and loving person.

“In our family, sports is what we do, but it’s not who we are.”
What Cedrick and Marie taught CJ from the very beginning
Painted portrait of young CJ smiling in a red Phillies baseball uniform, holding a bat
Portrait by Wayne Flint
CJ smiling in a ball cap and hoodie

More than an athlete

CJ will be remembered as a gifted athlete. But the best part about CJ was not his athletic ability. It was his character.

A friend to everyone

He noticed the kid sitting alone and made room at the table.

A student and leader

An honor roll student and a member of the student council who led by example.

A teammate on every field

CJ played baseball, basketball, and football, and he made every team better.

CJ in his baseball uniform, smiling on the bleachers
Baseball
CJ shooting a basketball in his Ashdown uniform
Basketball
CJ on the football field in his purple and gold Ashdown uniform
Football
CJ smiling next to his father, Cedrick CJ smiling next to his mother, Marie

HIS FAMILY

Grounded in love and faith

CJ’s parents, Cedrick Harris, Sr. and Marie Ferdinand-Harris, were both All-American athletes at LSU who went on to play professionally. They recognized his gifts early, and they made sure he knew that his character mattered more than any trophy.

The loss of CJ left a tremendous void in the lives of all who knew and loved him. Cedrick, Marie, CJ’s loving brothers, and the entire family find comfort in their faith and the promise of seeing him again one day.

Remembered across the region

Teams wear CJ’s #24 and #BeLikeCJ on their helmets, and schools and universities have honored his name.

Two number 24 Harris Jr. jerseys, one white and one gold A batting helmet with a CJ 24 decal and the words #BeLikeCJ and #HarrisStrong A young player wearing a helmet with a CJ 24 decal A young player in the dugout wearing a blue helmet that reads #BeLikeCJ A student-athlete in a Walk of Love shirt holding his CJ Harris Award trophies for football, basketball and track
  • CJ Harris Award for Boys Varsity BasketballMay 2021
  • 2021 Male Athlete of the Year AwardMay 2021
  • 1st Annual Sticks Scholarship AwardMay 2021
  • Southern Arkansas University honors CJMay 2021
  • #BeLikeCJ DayOctober 2021
  • BeLikeCJ Legacy ClassicAnnual baseball & softball tournament since 2021, formerly the Memorial Tournament
Cedrick, in his Jackie Robinson quote shirt, speaking to hundreds of young baseball players seated on the field and a packed stadium of families

ONE STORY. A WHOLE STADIUM.

Cedrick shares CJ’s story with hundreds of young players, their coaches, and a stadium full of families.

THE WORDS WE LIVE BY

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

Jackie Robinson

Cedrick wears these words on his shirt as he shares CJ’s story with players, coaches, and families across the South, carrying his son’s legacy onto every field.

Cedrick, in a #BeLikeCJ Foundation shirt, talking with young players in purple Louisiana jerseys Cedrick, wearing a Jackie Robinson quote shirt, greeting coaches from Alabama on the field

Carry his legacy forward

We can all, young and old, strive to #BeLikeCJ by being the best version of ourselves and treating others the way we want to be treated.

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