 Pikeville High School and the surrounding community are mourning the loss of one of the most passionate sports fans they've known. Pikeville High School Hall of Famer Ronnie Ford died Thursday, March 21st after spending over 50 years cheering on the Panthers from the sidelines. Students and faculty are now paying their respects to a Pikeville legend and close friend. Well, yeah, he has been around for a long time. I remember when I was playing here back in the 80s, Ronnie was one of the equipment managers that helped out with the football team and he's just always been around. Football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, whatever anyone's playing, Roon and White, he was there supporting our kids in our school. Lately, where he's not been around, it's been noticeable. We miss having him around just even if it be at practice or at the games in the gym. Throughout the winter a little bit, he wasn't around as much and not seeing him out in the baseball field and the bleachers this year has been tough. But I know all those kids and we'll all remember Ronnie. Appalachian Community Care offers outpatient medication-assisted treatment for addiction, counseling and behavioral play therapy for children, accepting Medicare and all major insurance. Recovery is hard, regret is harder. Appalachian Community Care, Pikeville, Whitesburg, 606-432-5660. Find them on Facebook. Anyone at Pikeville High School will say Ronnie was one of a kind. The school will be hosting a memorial service on Saturday, March 22nd in the gymnasium. He and I had a very close relationship over the last six years of just him being at the games and doing things like that. But what Ronnie Ford means to the community I don't know is describable. I don't know that it could be put into words. He's a guy that truly, truly cared about the school and the people of the school and the kids of the school. He cared about the program, the different programs here at Pikeville High School and there were very few games that were played either on the field or on a court at Pikeville High School that Ronnie Ford wasn't there. I just watched the kids how they interact with him. They always want to go over and talk to him and get up with him because he's always, like I said, just a smile and kind and somebody who just loved being here and being part of something. And really we were the ones that were the lucky ones to get to spend that time with him. We're hoping that we can get all the community to come out tonight and tomorrow. Tonight is his visitation at 7 o'clock at J.W. Cole and then tomorrow at 11 o'clock is a visitation and then the funeral services are going to be at 2 o'clock. And I think it'd be really special for everybody to come out tonight and tomorrow and to wear your maroon and white and just make it an atmosphere that Ronnie would have loved. Reporting for Mountain Top News, I'm Nick Collum.