Students, family and friends attended a candlelight vigil Thursday on the utility field to celebrate the life and say goodbye to for Mathew Tautolo who dies earlier this month.

Tautolo collapsed and died near there Jan. 10 after taking part in physical exercise.

People signed their wishes, love and goodbyes on a photograph of Tautolo on a banner.

Tautolo had open-heart surgery in 2008. The aspiring football player turned 20 last September.

“Mathew thought of everyone else before himself,” Asora Tautolo, Mathew’s father said.

“There was never a mean bone in his body, he was a happy person,” he continued. “I’ve enjoyed him every day. He loved being with friends and family. We’re all going to miss him.”

Jayna Seei, Tautolo’s girlfriend, said, “He would be pretty happy to see his friends and family here for him.”

ASCC President Jasmin Ramirez said, “I think it’s very beautiful for us to not only get his family but also our Falcon family out here. It was a beautiful ceremony. Our condolences go to him and his family.”

Many participants wore shirts with his picture to show remembrance and respect.

Undecided major Brittany Vargas smiled and remembers Tautolo as a clown. “He’d make you laugh, no doubt about that.

“The best memory I have of him is (on) my shirt, it says ‘scratch’ because he would always say it. He’d just say that to everybody, it was funny. It was like his own slogan,” Vargas said.

Vargas also mentioned Tautolo’s love for football. “He would say that all he wanted to do was play football.”

Howard Jauta, a player for the Cerritos College football team, said, “When he gets serious he would do what he had to do. He was a good guy.”

Jauta also said that this year was going to be Tautolo’s year, saying that the team will “go far than Cerritos has ever been.”

After joining of hands, a prayer led by math major Aldemar Sanchez, and a few words spoken by Tautolo, a song was sung by members of the Pacific Islanders Club that was specifically for Tautolo based on his heritage.

“It’s called ‘Uso Song,’” undecided major Nick Toleafoa said, who performed the guitar for the song. “It’s asking our brother for forgiveness for everything we did wrong towards him. He’s the best.”

A believer in Christianity, Tautolo loved going to church. “He wanted to be a pastor,” Sanchez said.

The ceremony was bought together by PIC with the some of the money that was raised for the Tautolo family.

Anthropology major, Paulo Maiava, president of PIC will never forget Tautolo as a loving person. “He had a heart for everyone,” he said.

When we were down, he’d help us. When we were broke he would help us as much as he could. He will never be forgotten and will always be in our hearts.”

Two hot air, balloon lanterns were lit and released into the sky to symbolize the departure of Tautolo.

“He’s a star,” Tautolo’s mother, Poima, said, pointing at the lanterns as they drifted out of sight.