Travis Alig

        UNION — Losing someone you love on a holiday always sharpens the pain, but when Ed Alig lost his nephew Thanksgiving Day, he and his wife decided they still had much to be thankful for.

        Travis Alig of Union, an 18-year-old star athlete at Ryle High School, died early Thanksgiving morning in a one-vehicle wreck, ending his dream of playing professional baseball.

        “We agreed we do have to be thankful we got to share 18 great years with a great person,” said his uncle, of Florence. “He touched all of us in a very positive way. We have a lot of good memories of Travis.”

        Travis Alig, son of Jeff and Lori Alig, was well known for his athletic prowess. During this football season, which ended last week, he played tailback, wide receiver, running back and quarterback for Ryle. He also was the school baseball team's shortstop.

        Mr. Alig was voted “Most Athletic” at Ryle last week.

        “There were numerous col leges interested in him,” his uncle said.

        He was offered a tryout with the Boston Red Sox. It was rained out, and they were supposed to follow up with that, he said.

        Mr. Alig hadn't decided on a college, preferring to wait until his summer baseball season. He traveled with the Kentucky Kernels, a select team in which he played for Walt Terrell, a former major leaguer.

        “He definitely had dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. Colleges were looking at him for football, but he knew he had a better shot in baseball. He knew he was close,” his uncle said.

        Mr. Alig's father and his uncle knew he had a bright future when he began playing T-ball at age 6. They were his coaches.

        “We kept him playing every year,” his uncle said. “He's the most gifted athlete we've ever had or seen. He's always had so much drive and determination. We knew from the time he was young he was going to turn into something special.”

        By the time he got to eighth grade, he started playing high school varsity sports.

        Mr. Alig liked to win, of course but handled losses gracefully, his uncle said.

        “He was very competitive, but he learned from it,” he said. “He was always taught you've got to lose in life. He was fine with it. He always turned it into a positive, anytime there was a negative. It made him that much better.”

        Fred Bernier, Ryle High School assistant principal, said Mr. Alig was a personable and popular student.

        “Travis was the kind of kid who didn't know any strangers. Everybody knew Travis. He had a very outgoing personality,” he said.

        And, Mr. Bernier said, Mr. Alig was a hard worker.

        “He always said he got a lot of that from his dad. When a football game was over, you always knew Travis had expended himself,” Mr. Bernier said. “He did his best. He left it all on the field.

        “That was one of the things I admired about him.”

        Also surviving are a sister, Shanna, and a brother, Josh, both of Union.

        Mass of Christian burial is set tentatively for Monday at St. Timothy Church in Union. Stith Funeral Home in Florence is handling arrangements.

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