‘He is a hero’: Community honors CSU basketball player who passed away

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Family and friends of Anthony Moore, the local father and university basketball player that passed away in a crash in Phenix City on Christmas Eve, continue to come together to honor his legacy.

With Moore being a talented athlete, CrossFit Sacrifice created a workout of the day to honor the young man who many people in the community consider a hero.

“I probably cried for an hour straight when I got the news,” said one of Moore’s friends, Keron Billinger.

Billinger is one of several people in the community mourning the loss of Columbus State University basketball player Anthony Moore. Billinger says the two met while Moore played basketball for Central High School.

“It was kind of hard to guard him and he gave us, maybe, a couple losses throughout that summer,” said Billinger.

Moore passed away in a car crash in Phenix City on Christmas Eve.

“It’s just hard,” said Billinger with a sigh. “It’s just hard to see that he’s actually gone and like I can’t text him and say like ‘Yo, you coming over to watch the game?’”

“God wanted one of his strongest soldiers up there with him and he just called Ant,” said Chris Horton, another one of Moore’s closest friends. “And I know Ant’s doing his job up there and he’s looking down on all of us.”

After learning the news of the huge loss in the community, Billinger’s girlfriend Mallory created a workout program at CrossFit Sacrifice in Moore’s honor. The gym typically creates workout programs in honor of American heroes.

“He is a hero - not only as far as basketball goes, but I mean he’s a hero. He’s a father. He’s a son, you know, a great family member and friend,” said Billinger.

Moore’s friends say he was family. Oftentimes, Moore and his friends would pose holding up three fingers in honor of their friendship group called “Three Hype.”

“Anytime you seen him, he always had a smile on his face and if he was doing bad, he wouldn’t want you to know he was doing bad,” said Horton. “He always cared about the next person.”

They say they also plan to continue honoring his legacy and watching Moore’s baby boy Jayce.

“I want his son to know that his dad was a great person, a great overall human being,” said Horton.

Please click here to donate to the GoFundMe started to help with Moore’s funeral expenses.

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