ORLANDO, Fla. — Music, football, and smiles. Barnett Park in Orlando recently hosted a celebration of the life of a local high school athlete.

“What size shirt you want, medium?” Dexter Rentz Sr. asked as he handed out uniforms for the kickball tournament on May 8, 2021. The shirts featured the name and silhouette of his son, Dexter Rentz Jr.

“It’s all in remembrance of my son,” Rentz Sr. said. “You know to honor his legacy and keep his name alive.”

They are celebrating now, but a little over a year ago was a very different story. Rentz Jr. was coming off his senior football season at Ocoee High School. He had a scholarship to play at the University of Louisville. On April 25, 2020, he attended a friend’s funeral.  He was shot and killed later that night. The Orlando Police Department says detectives are still following several leads.

“We are seeking justice,” Rentz Sr. said.  “It’s just a matter of time.”

Since Rentz Jr.’s death, his parents have started a nonprofit called Dexter Rentz JR D2 INC. in his name. Their goal is to raise awareness about gun violence and help youth reach their highest potential.

“This is our first year doing this,” Rentz’s mother Salisa Sinclair said. “From here out, we looking forward to being bigger and bigger with more hands on it to help get more students involved, more fathers involved, coaches, teachers, leaders.  You know, because it’s not only for our son. It’s also to help the next student-athlete.”

As part of the nonprofit's work, Rentz Sr. and Sinclair organized “A Day of Celebrating Dex.”  They held a free football camp with several sessions during the day and ended with the kickball tournament. High school football players who played with and against Rentz Jr. participated.

“He was just so authentic and a great person,” Jones High School quarterback Julian Calvez said. “Even people he wasn’t in close contact with, he was a great person to them so it just left a mark in the community.”

“He always been a dog, always been a hard worker, always been one of the best players, if not the best player, on the team,” West Orange wide receiver Jayden Gibson said.  “[He was] someone that you wanted to be around.”

Nothing can bring Rentz Jr. back, but his parents believe events like this can help create a better future.

“It’s very painful,” Sinclair said. “But it’s also a joy to see the lives of many that Dexter has touched.”