United in Faith at Lineman’s Funeral

The eulogies and the tears, some of which fell on Bibles, were a testament to overwhelming grief. The flowers, hundreds in all, were a testament to the support of the community.

But when it was over, when almost 2,000 people filed out of the Huntington Beach church on Saturday, Steven “Scotty” Lang’s funeral was a testament to unwavering faith, even among those who will bear the brunt of a loss that arrived with shocking abruptness, and far too soon.

“I will miss his love,” one of his three older sisters, Myrna Lang Borgquist, said during her portion of the eulogy.

“But I want you all to know that I know where he is. . . . I know what he is doing. I know why he has been chosen. He has been taken from us to serve a far greater purpose.”

Under a full rainbow that reflected off the morning clouds, arched over Orange County and appearing almost too perfect, Huntington Beach buried one of its sons on Saturday morning at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It has been less than a week since Scotty, 16, collapsed on a football field after running six wind sprints--a drill he had been performing nearly every day since practice started in July. The junior Fountain Valley High lineman, who was a robust 6 feet, 6 inches and 250 pounds, had no history of medical troubles, and his death remains a mystery.

Already, his mother, father and three sisters, relying more than ever on their Mormon faith, have reached a point some grieving families can’t reach for years--they seem to feel genuinely lucky for the time they had with him, resigned that he died for a purpose and willing to use his death as a lesson for everyone.

“Do what he did every day,” Scotty’s father, Steve, said at the end of a lengthy and moving testimonial about the youngest of his four children, and his only son. “Tell your families, your children and your friends that you love them today.”

Dozens of wreaths and bunches of flowers, including one sent by actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, filled the Langs’ Huntington Beach home and lined the front of the church on Saturday. Nearly all of Scotty’s football teammates were at the service, most wearing their blue-and-gold game jerseys.

Hundreds of people waited to look over a mosaic of pictures the Lang family had put together for the memorial service, including shots of Scotty discovering an Easter egg as a toddler, swimming with a dolphin as a youth and jumping off a bridge with pals as a teen. An overflow crowd spilled into hallways, and boxes of tissues were empty by 9:30 a.m.

“I knew Scotty had friends,” his mother, Cindy, said during her eulogy. “But I had no idea how many.”

The Troubadours, a group of the two dozen best singers at Fountain Valley High and one of Scotty’s extracurricular pursuits, sang two songs, including “Mary Had a Baby.”

“Songs like this always make me cry,” Scotty had told friends last week, Ted Reid, the chorus director, recounted Saturday.

The memorial service was marked by the humor that is the hallmark of the Lang home. Cindy Lang, for example, acknowledged that it is often said that Scotty had four mothers--Cindy and his sisters.

“I did the math this morning,” she said. “It works out to 64 years of mothering. No wonder he was ready to leave.”

Steve Lang recalled a time Scotty tricked him into taking a bite of a dog treat by convincing him it was beef jerky. Father lectured son for about 20 minutes, he said.

“Scott said: ‘What? You would have done it to me.’ I said: ‘That’s different,’ ” Steve Lang said with a laugh.

All last week in school, teachers talked with students to try to get past Scotty’s death, Reid said. Many at the high school were looking forward to Saturday’s services to reach some sense of closure.

“We’ve been talking about how to get through it, and this helps to bring some sense of acceptance,” he said. “But it’s still hard to believe he’s gone.”