Though she never actually taught David Edwards in class, Madison instructor Tricia Takas forged a close friendship with the young football player.

It was virtually impossible not to. Enthusiastic, always smiling, Edwards was a kid you couldn't help but love.

"Everybody knew David," Takas said. "It was his personality. He lit up the whole room."

That light expired Wednesday when Edwards, just three days from his 21st birthday, died from complications relating to the catastrophic injury he suffered during a 2003 playoff game against Austin Westlake.

As noted by Mavericks football coach Jim Streety, it had been four years and three months since Edwards, then a junior defensive back, was paralyzed from the neck down.

"It hurts, but it's a better feeling to know he's out of that pain and suffering," said Streety, wiping away tears. "Time will make things better. I know it will."

The news began to filter through the Madison campus less than an hour after Edwards' passing. Takas said she found out from a student whose mother called during class.

"We lost a really great kid, a great person," said Takas, who teaches English and U.S. history. "This didn't just affect (the school); it affected the whole community."

The impact was also felt in Austin, where Westlake coach Derek Long said he'd been flooded with e-mails.

"Our community felt like he was one of our own," Long said. "It's a sad thing to happen to such a young person. But the way he dealt with his injury showed what a tremendous young man he was."

Edwards remained a strong presence at Madison well after his injury. He returned to receive his diploma in 2005, imploring peers to "enjoy every day and love your family" during a commencement address.

Assistant principal Joseph Williams still keeps a snapshot of Edwards, clad in his football uniform, in his office. Williams, who was at the Westlake game, had been teaching Edwards in an algebra class.

"If you thought about the situation, you knew the prognosis wasn't good," he said. "But it wasn't something we dwelled on. We just wanted to do everything we could to let Dave and everybody around him know he was still part of the Madison family."

The school instituted "David Edwards Day," a low-key affair in which Edwards would return to the school every spring to reconnect with teachers and students.

Rather than be bitter about his accident, Edwards maintained a close bond with Streety and the football team, which donated a portion of the proceeds from its annual weight-lifting fundraiser.

"He had a tremendous love for football, even after he got hurt," said Streety, who became a regular visitor to Edwards' home.

Edwards was a fixture at Mavericks games, and he did more than just watch.

Running back Devin Thomas remembers Edwards spurring the team to a comeback victory over Judson in 2005 with a moving halftime speech.

The Mavericks returned the favor last September, chanting Edwards' name as he wheeled by the team bus following Madison's triumph at Smithson Valley. Unable to acknowledge the tribute with a wave or a nod, Edwards did what came naturally.

He smiled.

"It's been a great opportunity to get to know him," Thomas said. "He's always going to be a big part of me and this program.

"You think of Madison, you have to think of David."