TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - The game didn't mean anything on paper, but to those in attendance, it meant so much.
Nine months after 18-year-old Brian Hoeflinger, an Ottawa Hills senior, died in a drunk driving accident, his parents Brian and Cindy have worked to turn a negative into a positive.
"Anything can happen when you drink, and bad things happen, and Brian proved that," Brian's father said. "That's what we're trying to get across to these kids. You know, drinking seems like fun, but even the best-laid plans fall apart, just like the night Brian died."
Brian's parents created a fund called 'Brian Matters.' That will be the recipient of money raised at the Notre Dame Academy's foundation girls' basketball game.
"We thought that this was a great way for our student body to kind of relate to an issue like that," said Head Coach Travis Galloway.
"It can change a lot of lives in an instant and it's very important to be aware of," added Jayda Worthy, a senior and small forward.
The Hoeflingers plan to donate to Kids Unlimited, which was an organization they say Brian volunteered for and was passionate about.
"There's never a bad side to that, thinking about others and giving and trying," Cindy said. "Brian would just be awed by this. He was a huge fan of girls' basketball, and he loved sports, so I know he's kind of smiling right now."
